THF 

i 


PAWNS  COUNT 

iJi    IL?  1L/     \^>V-/vJl 


ifornia 

)nal 

ity 


E.PHILLIPS  OPPENHE1M 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT 


SHE    SHOOK    HER    HEAD.  I    SHOULD    OBJECT    MOST    STRONGLY 

TO    NOCTURNAL    DISTURBERS    OF    MY    SLUMBERS !" 

FRONTISPIECE.     See  page  288. 


THE 
PAWNS  COUNT 


BY 
PHILLIPS  OPPENHEIM 


WITH  FRONTISPIECE  BT 

F.  VAUX  WILSON 


BOSTON 

LITTLE,  BROWN,  AND  COMPANY 
1918 


Copyright,   1918. 
LITTLE,  BKOWN,  AND  COMPANY. 


All  rights  reserved 


Published,  March,  1918 
Reprinted,  March,  1918;   April,  1918  (twice) 


Stack 
Annoy 


FOREWORD 

**  I  am  for  England  and  England  only,"  John 
Lutchester,  the  Englishman,  asserted. 

"  I  am  for  Japan  and  Japan  only,"  Nikasti,  the 
Jap,  insisted. 

"  I  am  for  Germany  first  and  America  after- 
wards," Oscar  Fischer,  the  German-American  pro- 
nounced. 

"  I  am  for  America  first,  America  only,  America 
always,"  Pamela  Van  Teyl,  the  American  girl,  de- 
clared. 

They  were  all  right  except  the  German-American. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

CHAPTER  I 

Mefiez-Vous ! 

Taisez-Vous ! 

Les  Oreilles  Ennemies  Vous  Ecoutent! 

The  usual  little  crowd  was  waiting  in  the  lobby 
of  a  fashionable  London  restaurant  a  few  minutes 
before  the  popular  luncheon  hour.  Pamela  Van 
Teyl,  a  very  beautiful  American  girl,  dressed  in  the 
extreme  of  fashion,  which  she  seemed  somehow  to 
justify,  directed  the  attention  of  her  companions  to 
the  notice  affixed  to  the  wall  facing  them. 

"  Except,"  she  declared,  "  for  you  poor  dears  who 
have  been  hurt,  that  is  the  first  thing  I  have  seen 
in  England  which  makes  me  realise  that  you  are  at 
war." 

The  younger  of  her  two  escorts,  Captain  Richard 
Holderness,  who  wore  the  uniform  of  a  well-known 
cavalry  regiment,  glanced  at  the  notice  a  little  im- 
patiently. 

"  What  rot  it  seems !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  We  get 
fed  up  with  that  sort  of  thing  in  France.  It's 
always  the  same  at  every  little  railway  station 
and  every  little  inn.  '  Mefiez-vous !  Taisez-vous ! ' 
They  might  spare  us  over  here." 

John  Lutchester,  a  tall,  clean-shaven  man,  dressed 


2  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

in  civilian  clothes,  raised  his  eyeglass  and  read  out 
the  notice  languidly. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know,"  he  observed.  "  Some  of 
you  Service  fellows  —  not  the  Regulars,  of  course 
—  do  gas  a  good  deal  when  you  come  back.  I  don't 
suppose  you  any  of  you  know  anything,  so  it  doesn't 
really  matter,"  he  added,  glancing  at  his  watch. 

"  Army's  full  of  Johnnies,  who  come  from  God 
knows  where  nowadays,"  Holderness  assented 
gloomily.  "  No  wonder  they  can't  keep  their  mouths 
shut." 

"  Seems  to  me  you  need  them  all,"  Miss  Pamela 
Van  Teyl  remarked  with  a  smile. 

"  Of  course  we  do,"  Holderness  assented,  "  and 
Heaven  forbid  that  any  of  us  Regulars  should  say 
a  word  against  them.  Jolly  good  stuff  in  them,  too, 
as  the  Germans  found  out  last  month." 

"  All  the  same,"  Lutchester  continued,  still  study- 
ing the  notice,  "  news  does  run  over  London  like 
quicksilver.  If  you  step  down  to  the  American  bar 
here,  for  instance,  you'll  find  that  Charles  is  one  of 
the  best-informed  men  about  the  war  in  London. 
He  has  patrons  in  the  Army,  in  the  Navy,  and  in 
the  Flying  Corps,  and  it's  astonishing  how  com- 
municative they  seem  to  become  after  the  second 
or  third  cocktail." 

"Cocktail,  mark  you,  Miss  Van  Teyl,"  Holder- 
ness  pointed  out.  "We  poor  Englishmen  could 
keep  our  tongues  from  wagging  before  we  acquired 
some  of  your  American  habits." 

"The  habits  are  all  right,"  Pamela  retorted. 
"It's  your  heads  that  are  wrong." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  3 

"  The  most  valued  product  of  jour  country,'*  Lut- 
chestcr  murmured,  "  is  more  dangerous  to  our  hearts 
than  to  our  heads." 

She  made  a  little  grimace  and  turned  away,  hold- 
ing out  her  hand  to  a  new  arrival  —  a  tall,  broad- 
shouldered  man,  with  a  strong,  cold  face  and  keen, 
grey  eyes,  aggressive  even  behind  his  gold-rimmed 
spectacles.  There  was  a  queer  change  in  his  face 
as  his  eyes  met  Pamela's.  He  seemed  suddenly  to 
become  more  human.  His  pleasure  at  seeing  her 
was  certainly  more  than  the  usual  transatlantic 
politeness. 

"  Mr.  Fischer,"  she  exclaimed,  "  they  are  saying 
hard  things  about  our  country !  Please  protect 
me." 

He  bowed  over  her  fingers.  Then  he  looked  up. 
His  tone  was  impressive. 

*4  If  I  thought  that  you  needed  protection,  Miss 
Van  Teyl  — " 

"  Well,  I  can  assure  you  that  I  do,"  she  inter- 
rupted, laughing.  "  You  know  my  friends,  don't 
you?  " 

"  I  think  I  have  that  pleasure,"  the  American  re- 
plied, shaking  hands  with  Lutchester  and  Holder- 
ness. 

"  NTow  we'll  get  an  independent  opinion,"  the 
former  observed,  pointing  to  the  wall.  "  We  were 
discussing  that  notice,  Mr.  Fischer.  You're  almost 
as  much  a  Londoner  as  a  New  Yorker.  What  do 
you  think?  —  is  it  superfluous  or  not?  " 

Fischer  read  it  out  and  smiled. 

"  Well,"  he  admitted,  "  in  America  we  don't  lay 


4  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

much  store  by  that  sort  of  thing,  but  I  don't  know 
as  we're  very  good  judges  about  what  goes  on  over 
here.  I  shouldn't  call  this  place,  anyway,  a  hot- 
bed of  intrigue.  Excuse  me !  " 

He  moved  off  to  greet  some  incoming  guests  —  a 
well-known  stockbroker  and  his  partner.  Lutches- 
ter  looked  after  him  curiously. 

"  Is  Mr.  Fischer  one  of  your  typical  millionaires, 
Miss  Van  Teyl  ?  "  he  asked. 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  We  have  no  typical  millionaires,"  she  assured 
him.  "  They  come  from  ail  classes  and  all  States." 

"  Fischer  is  a  Westerner,  isn't  he?  " 

Pamela  nodded,  but  did  not  pursue  the  conversa- 
tion. Her  eyes  were  fixed  upon  a  girl  who  had  just 
entered,  and  who  was  looking  a  little  doubtfully 
around,  a  girl  plainly  but  smartly  dressed,  with 
fluffy  light  hair,  dark  eyes,  and  a  very  pleasant  ex- 
pression. Pamela,  who  was  critical  of  her  own  sex, 
found  the  newcomer  attractive. 

"  Is  that,  by  any  chance,  one  of  our  missing 
guests,  Captain  Holderness?"  she  inquired,  turning 
towards  him.  "  I  don't  know  why,  but  I  have  an 
idea  that  it  is  your  sister." 

"  By  Jove,  yes !  "  the  young  man  assented,  step- 
ping forward.  "  Here  we  are,  Moll}7,  and  at  last 
you  are  going  to  meet  Miss  Van  Teyl.  I've  bored 
Molly  stiff,  talking  about  you,"  he  explained,  as 
Pamela  held  out  her  hand. 

The  girls,  who  stood  talking  together  for  a  mo- 
ment, presented  rather  a  striking  contrast.  Molly 
Holderness  was  pretty  but  usual.  Pamela  was  beau- 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  5 

tiful  and  unusual.  She  had  the  long,  slim  body  of 
a  New  York  girl,  the  complexion  and  eyes  of  a 
Southerner,  the  s avoir  faire  of  a  Frenchwoman. 
She  was  extraordinarily  cosmopolitan,  and  yet  ex- 
traordinarily American.  She  impressed  every  one, 
as  she  did  Molly  Holderness  at  that  moment,  with 
a  sense  of  charm.  One  could  almost  accept  as  truth 
her  own  statement  —  that  she  valued  her  looks 
chiefly  because  they  helped  people  to  forget  that  she 
had  brains. 

"  I  won't  admit  that  I  have  ever  been  bored,  Miss 
Van  Teyl,"  Molly  Holderness  assured  her,  "  but 
Dick  has  certainly  told  me  all  sorts  of  wonderful 
things  about  you  —  how  kind  you  were  in  New  York, 
and  what  a  delightful  surprise  it  was  to  see  you 
down  at  the  hospital  at  Nice.  I  am  afraid  he  must 
have  been  a  terrible  crock  then." 

"  Got  well  in  no  time  as  soon  as  Miss  Van  Teyl 
came  along,"  Holderness  declared.  "  It  was  a  bit 
dreary  down  there  at  first.  None  of  my  lot  were 
sent  south,  and  a  familiar  face  means  a  good  deal 
when  you've  got  your  lungs  full  of  that  rotten  gas 
and  are  feeling  like  nothing  on  earth.  I  wonder 
where  that  idiot  Sandy  is.  I  told  him  to  be  here 
a  quarter  of  an  hour  before  you  others  —  thought 
we  might  have  had  a  quiet  chat  first.  Will  you 
stand  by  the  girls  for  a  moment,  Lutchester,  while 
I  have  a  look  round?  "  he  added. 

He  hobbled  away,  one  of  the  thousands  who  were 
thronging  the  streets  and  public  places  of  London  — 
brave,  simple-minded  young  men,  all  of  them,  with 
tangled  recollections  in  their  brains  of  blood  and  fire 


6  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

and  hell,  and  a  game  leg  or  a  lost  arm  to  remind 
them  that  the  whole  thing  was  not  a  nightmare.  He 
looked  a  little  disconsolately  around,  and  was  on  the 
point  of  rejoining  the  others  when  the  friend  for 
whom  he  was  searching  came  hurriedly  through  the 
turnstile  doors. 

"  Sandy,  old  chap,"  Holderness  exclaimed,  with 
an  air  of  relief,  "  here  you  are  at  last ! " 

"  Cheero,  Dick ! "  was  the  light-hearted  reply. 
"Fearfully  sorry  I'm  late,  but  listen  —  just  listen 
for  one  moment." 

The  newcomer  threw  his  hat  and  coat  to  the  at- 
tendant. He  was  a  rather  short,  freckled  young 
man,  with  a  broad,  high  forehead  and  light-coloured 
hair.  His  eyes  just  now  were  filled  with  the  enthu- 
siasm which  trembled  in  his  tone. 

"  Dick,"  he  continued,  gripping  his  friend's  arm 
tightly,  "  I'm  late,  I  know,  but  I've  great  news.  I've 
motored  straight  up  from  Salisbury  Plain.  I've 
done  it !  I  swear  to  you,  Dick,  I've  done  it !  " 

"  Done  what  ?  "  Holderness  demanded,  a  little  be- 
wildered. 

"  I've  perfected  my  explosive  —  the  thing  I  was 
telling  you  about  last  week,"  was  the  triumphant 
reply.  "  The  whole  world's  struggling  for  it,  Dick. 
The  German  chemists  have  been  working  night  and 
day  for  three  years,  just  for  one  little  formula,  and 
I've  got  it!  One  of  my  shells,  which  fell  in  a  wood 
at  daylight  this  morning,  killed  every  living  thing 
within  a  mile  of  it.  The  bark  fell  off  the  trees,  and 
the  labourers  in  a  field  beyond  threw  down  their 
implements  and  ran  for  their  lives.  It's  the  prin- 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  7 

ciple  of  intensification.  The  poison  feeds  on  its  own 
vapours.  The  formula  —  I've  got  it  in  my  pocket- 
book—" 

"  Look  here,  old  fellow,"  Holderness  interrupted, 
"  it's  all  splendid,  of  course,  and  I'm  dying  to  hear 
you  talk  about  it,  but  come  along  now  and  be  intro- 
duced to  Miss  Van  Teyl.  Molly's  over  there,  wait- 
ing, and  we're  all  half  starved." 

"  So  am  I,"  was  the  cheerful  answer.  "  Hullo, 
Lutchester,  how  are  you?  Just  one  moment.  I 
must  get  a  wash.  I  motored  straight  through,  and 
I'm  choked  with  dust.  Where  do  I  go  ?  " 

"  I'll  show  you,"  Lutchester  volunteered. 
"  Hurry  up." 

The  two  men  sprang  up  the  stairs  towards  the 
dressing-room,  and  Holderness  strolled  back  to 
where  his  sister  and  Pamela  were  talking  to  a  small, 
dark  young  man,  with  rather  high  cheek-bones  and 
olive  complexion.  Pamela  turned  around  with  a 
smile. 

"  I  have  found  an  old  friend,"  she  told  him. 
"  Baron  Sunyea  —  Captain  Holderness.  Baron 
Sunyea  used  to  be  in  the  Japanese  Embassy  at 
Washington." 

The  two  men  shook  hands. 

"  I  was  interested,"  the  Japanese  said  slowly,  "  in 
your  conversation  just  now  about  that  notice.  Your 
young  friend  was  telling  you  news  very  loudly  in- 
deed, it  seemed  to  me,  which  you  would  not  like 
known  across  the  North  Sea.  Am  I  not  right?" 

"  In  a  sense  you  are,  of  course,"  Holderness  ad- 
mitted, "  but  here  at  Henry's  —  why,  the  placa  is 


8  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

like  a  club.  Where  sjre  the  enemies'  ears  to  come 
from,  I  should  like  to  know?  " 

"  Where  we  least  expect  to  find  them,  as  a  rule," 
was  the  grave  reply. 

"Quite  right,"  Lutchester,  who  had  just  rejoined 
them,  agreed.  "  They  still  say,  you  know,  that  our 
home  Secret  Service  is  just  as  bad  as  our  foreign 
Secret  Service  is  good." 

Holderness  smiled  in  somewhat  superior  fashion. 

"  Can't  say  that  I  have  much  faith  in  that  spy 
talk,"  he  declared.  "  No  doubt  there  was  any  quan- 
tity of  espionage  before  the  war,  but  it's  pretty  well 
weeded  out  now.  I  say,  how  good  civilisation  is !  " 
he  went  on,  his  eyes  dwelling  lovingly  on  the  interior 
of  the  restaurant.  "  Tophole,  isn't  it,  Lutchester 
—  these  smart  girls,  with  their  furs  and  violets  and 
perfumes,  the  little  note  of  music  in  the  distance, 
the  cheerful  clatter  of  plates,  the  smiling  faces  of 
the  waiters,  and  the  undercurrent  of  pleasant  voices. 
Don't  laugh  at  me,  please,  Miss  Van  Teyl.  I've 
three  weeks  more  of  it,  by  George  —  perhaps  more. 
I  don't  go  up  before  my  Board  till  Thursday 
fortnight.  Dash  it,  I  wish  Sandy  would  hurry 
up!" 

"  You  never  told  me  how  you  got  your  wound," 
Pamela  observed,  as  the  conversation  flagged  for  a 
moment. 

"  Can't  even  remember,"  was  the  careless  reply. 
"  We  were  all  scrapping  away  as  hard  as  we  could 
one  afternoon,  and  nearly  a  dozen  of  us  got  the 
knock,  all  at  the  same  time.  It's  quite  all  right 
now,  though,  except  for  the  stiffness.  It  was  the 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  9 

gas  did  me  in.  .  .  .  What  a  fellow  Sandy  is !  You 
people  must  be  starving." 

They  waited  for  another  five  minutes.  Then 
Holderness  limped  towards  the  stairs  with  a  little 
imprecation.  Lutchester  stopped  him. 

"  Don't  you  go,  Holderness,"  he  begged.  "  I'll 
find  him  and  bring  him  down  by  the  scruff  of  the 
neck." 

He  strode  up  the  stairs  on  a  mission  which  ended 
in  unexpected  failure.  Presently  he  returned,  a 
slight  frown  upon  his  forehead. 

"  I  am  awfully  sorry,"  he  announced,  "  but  I  can't 
find  him  anywhere.  I  left  him  washing  his  hands, 
and  he  said  he'd  be  down  in  a  moment.  Are  you 
quite  sure  that  we  haven't  missed  him?  " 

"  There  hasn't  been  a  sign  of  him,"  Molly  declared 
promptly.  "  I  am  so  hungry  that  my  eyes  have  been 
glued  upon  the  staircase  all  the  time." 

Pamela,  who  had  slipped  away  a  few  moments  be- 
fore, rejoined  them  with  a  little  expression  of  sur- 
prise. 

"  Isn't  Captain  Graham  here  yet  ?  "  she  asked  in- 
credulously. 

"  Not  a  sign  of  him,"  Holderness  replied.  "  Queer 
set  out,  isn't  it?  We  won't  wait  a  moment  longer. 
Take  my  sister  and  Miss  Van  Teyl  in,  will  you?  " 
he  went  on,  laying  his  hand  on  Lutchester's  shoulder. 
"  Ferrani  will  look  after  you.  I'll  follow  directly." 

The  chief  maitre  d'hotel  advanced  to  meet  them 
with  a  gesture  of  invitation,  and  led  them  to  a  table 
arranged  for  five.  The  restaurant  was  crowded,  and 
the  coloured  band,  from  the  space  against  the  wall. 


io  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

on  their  left,  was  playing  a  lively  one-step.  Fer- 
rani  was  buttonholed  by  an  important  client  as  they 
crossed  the  threshold,  and  they  lingered  for  a  mo- 
ment, waiting  for  his  guidance.  Whilst  they  stood 
there,  a  curious  thing  happened.  The  leader  of 
the  orchestra  seemed  to  draw  his  fingers  recklessly 
across  the  strings  of  his  instrument  and  to  produce 
a  discord  which  was  almost  appalling.  A  half- 
pained,  half-amused  exclamation  rippled  down  the 
room.  For  a  moment  the  music  ceased.  The  con- 
ductor, who  was  responsible  for  the  disturbance, 
was  sitting  motionless,  his  hand  hanging  down  by 
his  side.  His  features  remained  imperturbable,  but 
the  gleam  of  his  white  teeth,  and  a  livid  little  streak 
under  his  eyes  gave  to  his  usually  good-humoured 
face  an  utterly  altered,  almost  a  malignant  expres- 
sion. Ferrani  stepped  across  and  spoke  to  him  for 
a  moment  angrily.  The  man  took  up  his  instru- 
ment, waved  his  hand,  and  the  music  re-commenced 
in  a  subdued  note.  Pamela  turned  to  the  chief 
maitre  d'hotel,  who  had  now  re-joined  them. 

"  What  an  extraordinary  breakdown ! "  she  ex- 
claimed. "Is  your  leader  a  man  of  nerves?" 

"  Never  have  I  heard  such  a  thing  in  all  my  days," 
Ferrani  assured  them  fervently.  "  Joseph  is  one  of 
the  most  wonderful  performers  in  the  world.  His 
control  over  his  instrument  is  marvellous.  .  .  .  Cap- 
tain Holderness  asked  particularly  for  this  table." 

They  seated  themselves  at  the  table  reserved  for 
them  against  the  wall.  Their  cicerone  was  with- 
drawing with  a  low  bow,  but  Pamela  leaned  over  to 
•peak  to  him. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  n 

'*  Your  music,"  she  told  him,  "  is  quite  wonderful. 
The  orchestra  consists  entirely  of  Americans,  I  sup- 
pose? " 

"  Entirely,  madam,"  Ferrani  assented.  "  They 
are  real  Southern  darkies,  from  Joseph,  the  leader, 
down  to  little  Peter,  who  blows  the  motor-horn." 

Pamela's  interest  in  the  matter  remained  unabated. 

"  I  tell  you  it  makes  one  feel  almost  homesick  to 
hear  them  play,"  she  went  on,  with  a  little  sigh. 
"Did  they  come  direct  from  the  States?" 

Ferrani  shook  his  head. 

"  From  Paris,  madam.  Before  that,  for  a  little 
time,  they  were  at  the  Winter  Garden  in  Berlin. 
They  made  quite  a  European  tour  of  it  before  they 
arrived  here." 

"  And  he  is  the  leader  —  the  man  whom  you  call 
Joseph,"  Pamela  observed.  "  A  broad,  good- 
humoured  face  —  not  much  intelligence,  I  should  im- 
agine." 

Ferrani's  protest  was  vigorous  and  gesticulatory. 
He  evidently  had  ideas  of  his  own  concerning 
Joseph. 

"  More,  perhaps,  than  you  would  think,  madam," 
he  declared.  "  He  knows  how  to  make  a  bargain, 
believe  me.  It  cost  us  more  than  I  would  like  to 
tell  you  to  get  these  fellows  here." 

Pamela  looked  him  in  the  eyes. 

"  Be  careful,  Monsieur  Ferrani,"  she  advised, 
"  that  it  does  not  cost  you  more  to  get  rid  of  them." 

She  leaned  back  in  her  place,  apparently  tired  of 
the  subject,  and  Ferrani,  a  little  puzzled,  made  his 
bow  and  withdrew.  The  music  was  once  more  in 


13  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

full  swing.  Their  luncheon  was  served,  and  Lut- 
chester  did  his  best  to  entertain  his  companions. 
Their  eyes,  however,  every  few  seconds  strayed  to- 
wards the  door.  There  was  no  sign  of  the  missing 
guest. 


CHAPTER  II 

Mollj  Holderness,  for  whom  Graham's  absence 
possessed,  perhaps,  more  significance  than  the  others, 
relapsed  very  soon  into  a  strained  and  anxious  si- 
lence. Pamela  and  Lutchester,  on  the  other  hand, 
divided  their  attention  between  a  very  excellent 
luncheon  and  an  even  flow  of  personal,  almost  in- 
quisitorial conversation. 

"  You  will  find,"  Pamela  warned  her  companion 
almost  as  they  took  their  places,  "  that  I  am  a  very 
curious  person.  I  am  more  interested  in  people  than 
in  events.  Tell  me  something  about  your  work  at 
the  War  Office?" 

"  I  am  not  at  the  War  Office,"  he  replied. 

"  Well,  what  is  it  that  you  do,  then?  "  she  asked. 
"  Captain  Holderness  told  me  that  you  had  been  out 
in  France,  fighting,  but  that  you  had  some  sort  of 
official  position  at  home  now." 

"  I  am  at  the  Ministry  of  Munitions,"  he  ex- 
plained. 

"  Well,  tell  me  about  that,  then  ?  "  she  suggested. 
"  Is  it  as  exciting  as  fighting?  " 

He  shook  his  head. 

"  It  has  advantages,"  he  admitted,  "  but  I  should 
scarcely  say  that  excitement  figured  amongst  them." 

She  looked  at  him  thoughtfully.  Lutchester  was 
a  little  over  thirty-five  years  of  age,  tall  and  of 


14  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

sinewy  build.  His  colouring  was  neutral,  his  com- 
plexion inclined  to  be  pale,  his  mouth  straight  and 
firm,  his  grey  eyes  rather  deep-set.  Without  pos- 
sessing any  of  the  stereotyped  qualifications,  he  was 
sufficiently  good-looking. 

"  I  wonder  you  didn't  prefer  soldiering,"  she  ob- 
served. 

He  smiled  for  a  moment,  and  Pamela  felt  unrea- 
sonably annoyed  at  the  twinkle  in  his  eyes. 

"  I  am  not  a  soldier  by  profession,"  he  said,  "  but 
I  went  out  with  the  Expeditionary  Force  and  had  a 
year  of  it.  They  kept  me  here,  after  a  slight  wound, 
to  take  up  my  old  work  again." 

"  Your  old  work,"  she  repeated.  "  I  didn't  know 
there  was  such  a  thing  as  a  Ministry  of  Munitions 
before  the  war." 

He  deliberately  changed  the  conversation,  direct- 
ing Pamela's  attention  to  the  crowded  condition  of 
the  room. 

"Gay  scene,  isn't  it?"  he  remarked. 

"  Very !  "  she  assented  drily. 

"Do  you  come  here  to  dance?"  he  inquired. 

She  shook  her  head. 

"  You  must  remember  that  I  have  been  living  in 
Paris  for  some  months,"  she  told  him.  "  You  won't 
be  annoyed  if  I  tell  you  that  the  way  you  English 
people  are  taking  the  war  simply  maddens  me. 
Your  young  soldiers  talk  about  it  as  though  it  were 
a  sort  of  picnic,  your  middle-aged  clubmen  seem  to 
think  that  it  was  invented  to  give  them  a  fresh  in- 
terest in  their  newspapers,  and  the  rest  of  you  seem 
to  think  of  nothing  but  the  money  you  are  making. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  15 

And  Paris.  .  .  .  No,  I  don't  think  I  should  care  to 
dance  here ! " 

Lutchester  nodded,  but  Pamela  fancied  somehow 
or  other  that  his  attitude  was  not  wholly  sympa- 
thetic. His  tone,  with  its  slight  note  of  admonition, 
irritated  her. 

"  You  must  be  careful,"  he  said,  "  not  to  be  too 
much  misled  by  externals." 

Pamela  opened  her  lips  for  a  quick  reply,  but 
checked  herself. 

Captain  Holderness  and  Ferrani  had  entered  the 
room  and  were  approaching  their  table,  talking 
earnestly.  The  latter  especially  was  looking  per- 
plexed and  anxious. 

"  It's  the  queerest  thing  I  ever  knew,"  Holderness 
pronounced.  "  We've  searched  every  hole  and  cor- 
ner upstairs,  and  there  isn't  a  sign  of  Sandy." 

"  Have  you  tried  the  bar?  "  Lutchester  inquired. 

"  Both  the  bar  and  the  grillroom,"  Ferrani  as- 
sured him. 

"  If  he  had  been  suddenly  taken  ill  — "  Molly  mur- 
mured. 

"  But  there  is  no  place  in  which  he  could  have 
been  taken  ill  which  we  have  not  searched,"  Ferrani 
reminded  her. 

"  And  besides,"  Holderness  intervened,  "  Sandy 
was  in  the  very  pink  of  health,  and  bubbling  over 
with  high-spirits." 

"  One  noticed  that,"  Lutchester  remarked,  a  little 
drily. 

"  He  might  almost  have  been  called  garrulou»,M 
Pamela  agreed. 


16  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Ferrani  took  grave  leave  of  them,  and  Holderness 
seated  himself  at  the  table. 

"  Well,  let's  get  on  with  luncheon,  anyway,"  he 
advised.  "  It's  no  good  bothering.  The  best  thing 
we  can  do  is  to  conclude  that  the  impossible  has 
happened  —  that  Sandy  has  met  with  some  pals  and 
will  be  here  presently." 

"  Or  possibly,"  Lutchester  suggested,  "  that  he 
has  done  what  certainly  seems  the  most  reasonable 
thing  —  gone  straight  off  to  the  War  Office  with  his 
formula  and.  forgotten  all  about  us.  Let  us  return 
the  compliment  and  forget  all  about  him." 

They  finished  their  luncheon  a  little  more  cheer- 
fully. As  the  cigarettes  were  handed  round, 
Pamela's  eyes  looked  longingly  at  a  tray  of  Turkish 
coffee  which  was  passing. 

"  I'm  a  rotten  host,"  Holderness  declared,  "  but, 
to  tell  you  the  truth,  this  queer  prank  of  Sandy's 
has  driven  everything  else  out  of  my  mind.  Here, 
Hassan !  " 

The  coloured  man  in  gorgeous  oriental  livery 
turned  at  once  with  a  smile.  He  approached  the 
table,  bowing  to  each  of  them  in  turn.  Pamela 
watched  him  intently,  and,  as  his  eyes  met  hers, 
Hassan's  hands  began  to  shake. 

"  The  waiter  is  bringing  us  ordinary  coffee," 
Holderness  explained.  "  Please  countermand  it  and 
bring  us  Turkish  coffee  for  four." 

The  man  had  lost  his  savoir  faire.  His  wonderful 
smile  had  turned  into  something  sickly,  his  bland 
speech  of  thanks  into  a  mumble.  He  turned  away 
almost  sheepishly. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  17 

"  Hassan  doesn't  seem  to  like  us  to-day,"  Molly 
remarked. 

"  I  should  have  said  that  he  was  drunk," 
her  brother  observed,  looking  after  him  cu- 
riously. 

There  was  certainly  something  the  matter  with 
Hassan,  for  it  was  at  least  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
before  he  reappeared  and  served  his  specially  pre- 
pared concoction  with  the  usual  ceremony  but  with 
more  restraint.  Molly  and  the  two  men,  after  Has- 
san had  sprinkled  the  contents  of  his  mysterious 
little  flask  into  their  coffee,  gave  him  their  hands  for 
the  customary  salute.  When  he  came  to  Pamela  he 
hesitated.  She  shook  her  head  and  he  fell  back, 
bowing  respectfully,  his  hand  tracing  cabalistic 
signs  across  his  heart.  For  a  moment  before  he  de- 
parted, he  raised  his  eyes  and  glanced  at  her.  It 
was  like  the  mute  appeal  of  some  hurt  or  frightened 
animal. 

"  You  don't  approve  of  Hassan's  little  cere- 
mony ?  "  Lutchester  asked  her. 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  In  America,"  she  observed,  "  I  think  we  look 
upon  coloured  people  of  any  sort  a  little  differently. 
Well,  we've  certainly  given  your  friend  a  chance," 
she  went  on,  glancing  at  the  little  jewelled  watch 
upon  her  wrist.  "  We've  outstayed  almost  every 
one  here." 

Their  host  paid  the  bill,  and  they  strolled  reluc- 
tantly towards  the  door,  Holderness  and  Pamela  a 
few  steps  behind. 

"  Now  what  are  your  sister  and  Mr.  Lutchester 


i8  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

studying    again?"    the    latter    inquired,    as    they 
reached  the  lobby. 

Molly  had  paused  once  more  before  the  notice  on 
the  wall,  which  seemed  somehow  to  have  fascinated 
her.  She  read  it  out,  lingering  on  every  word: 

MEFIEZ-VOUS! 
TAISEZ-VOUS! 

LES  OREILLES  ENNEMIES  VOUS 
ECOUTENT! 

Holderness  listened  with  a  frown.  Then  he  turned 
suddenly  to  Lutchester,  who  was  standing  by  his  side. 

"  It  would  be  too  ridiculous,  wouldn't  it  —  you 
couldn't  in  any  way  connect  the  idea  behind  that 
notice  with  Sandy's  disappearance?" 

"  I  was  wondering  about  that  myself,"  Lutchester 
confessed.  "  To  tell  you  the  truth,  I  have  been 
wondering  all  luncheon-time.  If  ever  a  man  broke 
the  letter  and  the  spirit  of  that  simple  warning  I 
should  say  your  excitable  young  friend,  Captain 
Graham,  did." 

"  But  here  at  Henry's,"  Holderness  protested, 
"  with  friends  on  every  side !  Isn't  it  a  little  too 
ridiculous!  We'll  wait  until  the  last  person  is  out 
of  the  place,  anyway,"  he  added. 

The  crowd  soon  began  to  thin.  Ferrani,  seeing 
them  still  waiting,  approached  with  a  little  bow. 

"  Your  friend,"  he  asked, "  he  has  not  arrived,  eh?  " 

"  No  sign  of  him,"  Holderness  replied  gloomily. 

"What  about  his  hat  and  coat?"  Ferrani  in- 
quired, with  a  sudden  inspiration. 


19 

M  Great  idea,"  Holderness  assented,  turning  to- 
wards the  cloakroom  attendant.  "  Don't  you  re- 
member my  friend,  James  ?  "  he  went  on.  "  He  ar- 
rived about  half-past  one,  and  threw  his  coat  and 
hat  over  to  you." 

The  attendant  nodded  and  glanced  towards  an 
empty  peg. 

"  I  remember  him  quite  well,  sir,"  he  acknowl- 
edged. "  Number  sixty-seven  was  his  number." 

"Where  are  his  things,  then?" 

"  Gone,  sir,"  the  man  replied. 

"  Do  you  remember  his  asking  for  them?  " 

The  attendant  shook  his  head. 

"  Can't  say  that  I  do,  sir,"  he  acknowledged,  "  but 
they've  gone  right  enough." 

A  party  of  outgoing  guests  claimed  the  man's  at- 
tention. Holderness  turned  away. 

"  This  thing  is  getting  on  my  nerves,"  he  declared. 
"  Does  it  seem  likely  that  Sandy  should  chuck  his 
luncheon  without  a  word  of  explanation,  come  out 
and  get  his  coat  and  hat  and  walk  off?  And,  be- 
sides, where  was  he  all  the  time  we  were  looking 
for  him?  " 

It  was  unanswerable,  inexplicable.  They  all 
looked  at  one  another  almost  helplessly.  Pamela 
held  out  her  hand. 

"  Well,"  she  announced,  "  I  am  sorry,  but  I'm 
afraid  that  I  must  go.  I  have  a  great  many  things 
to  attend  to  this  afternoon." 

"  You  are  going  away  soon  ? "  Lutchester  in- 
quired. 

She  hesitated,  and  at  that  moment  Mr.  Fischer, 


ao  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

who  had  been  saying  farewell  to  his  guests,  turned 
towards  her. 

"  You  are  not  thinking  of  the  trip  home  yet,  Miss 
Van  Teyl?  "  he  asked. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know,"  she  answered  a  little 
evasively.  "  I'm  out  of  humour  with  London  just 
now." 

"  Perhaps  we  shall  be  fellow-passengers  on  Thurs- 
day? "  he  ventured.  "  I  am  going  over  on  the  New 
York." 

"  I  never  make  plans,"  she  told  him. 

"  In  any  case,"  Mr.  Fischer  continued,  "  I  shall 
anticipate  our  early  meeting  in  New  York.  I  heard 
from  your  brother  only  yesterday." 

She  looked  at  him  with  a.  slight  frown. 

*'  From  James  ?  " 

Mr.  Fischer  nodded. 

*'  Why,  I  didn't  know,"  she  observed,  "  that  you 
and  he  were  acquainted." 

"  I  have  had  large  transactions  with  his  firm,  and 
naturally  I  have  seen  a  good  deal  of  Mr.  Van  Teyl," 
the  other  explained.  "  He  looks  after  the  interests 
of  us  Western  clients." 

Pamela  turned  a  little  abruptly  away,  and  Lut- 
chester  walked  with  her  to  the  door. 

**  You  will  let  me  see  that  they  bring  your  car 
round?  "  he  asked.  ( 

She  shook  her  head. 

"  Thank  you,  no,"  she  replied,  holding  out  her 
hand.  "  I  have  not  yet  said  good-by  to  Captain 
Holderness  and  his  sister.  Good-by,  Mr.  Lutches- 
ter!" 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  ai 

Her  farewell  was  purposely  chilly.  It  seemed  as 
though  the  slight  sparring  in  which  they  had  in- 
dulged throughout  luncheon-time,  had  found  its  cul- 
mination in  an  antipathy  which  she  had  no  desire  to 
conceal.  Lutchester,  however,  only  smiled. 

"  Nowadays,"  he  observed,  "  that  is  a  word  which 
it  is  never  necessary  to  use." 

She  withdrew  her  hand  from  his  somewhat  too 
tenacious  clasp.  Something  in  his  manner  puzzled 
as  well  as  irritated  her. 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you,  too,  are  thinking  of 
taking  a  holiday  from  your  strenuous  labours?  "  she 
asked.  "  Perhaps  America  is  the  safest  country  in 
the  world  just  now  for  an  Englishman  who  — " 

She  stopped  short,  realising  the  lengths  towards 
which  her  causeless  pique  was  carrying  her. 

"  Prefers  departmental  work  to  fighting,  were  you 
going  to  add?  he  said  quietly.  "  Well,  perhaps  you 
are  right.  At  any  rate,  I  will  content  myself  by 
saying  au  revoir." 

He  passed  through  the  turnstile  door  and  disap- 
peared. Pamela  made  her  adieux  to  Holderness  and 
his  sister,  and  then,  recognising  some  acquaintances, 
turned  back  into  the  restaurant  to  speak  to  them. 
Fischer,  who  had  just  received  his  hat  and  cane 
from  the  cloakroom  attendant,  stood  watching  her. 


CHAPTER  III 

Pamela,  after  a  brief  conversation  with  her  friends, 
once  more  left  the  restaurant.  In  the  lobby  she 
called  Ferrani  to  her. 

"  Has  Mr.  Fischer  gone,  Ferrani?  "  she  asked. 

"  Not  two  minutes  ago,"  the  man  replied.  "  You 
wish  to  speak  to  him?  I  can  stop  him  even  now." 

She  shook  her  head. 

"  On  the  contrary,"  she  said  drily,  "  Mr.  Fischer 
represents  a  type  of  my  countrymen  of  whom  I  am 
not  very  fond.  He  is  a  great  patron  of  yours,  is  he 
not?  " 

"  He  is  a  large  shareholder  in  the  company,"  Fer- 
rani confessed. 

"  Then  your  restaurant  will  prosper,"  she  told 
him.  "  Mr.  Fischer  has  the  name  of  being  very  for- 
tunate. .  .  .  That  was  a  wonderful  luncheon  you 
gave  us  to-day." 

"  Madame  is  very  kind." 

"  Will  you  do  me  a  favour  ?  " 

Ferrani's  gesture  was  all-expressive.  Wordi 
were  entirely  superfluous. 

"  I  want  two  addresses,  please.  First,  the  address 
of  Joseph,  your  head  musician,  and,  secondly,  the 
address  of  Hassan,  your  coffee-maker." 

Ferrani  effectually  concealed  any  surprise  he 
might  have  felt.  He  tore  a  page  from  his  pocket- 
book. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  «3 

"  Both  I  know,"  he  declared.  "  Hassan  lodges  at 
a  shop  eighty  yards  away.  The  name  is  Haines, 
and  there  are  newspaper  placards  outside  the  door." 

"  That  is  quite  enough,"  Pamela  murmured. 

"  As  for  Monsieur  Joseph,"  Ferrani  continued, 
"  that  is  a  different  matter.  He  has,  I  understand, 
a  small  flat  in  Tower  Mansions,  Tower  Street,  lead- 
ing off  the  Edgware  Road.  The  number  is  18C. 
So!" 

He  wrote  it  down  and  passed  it  to  her.  Pamela 
thanked  him  and  stood  up. 

"  Now  that  I  have  done  as  you  asked  me,"  Fer- 
rani concluded,  "  let  me  add  a  word.  Both  these 
men  are  already  off  duty  and  have  left  the  restau- 
rant. If  you  wish  to  communicate  with  either  of 
them,  I  advise  you  to  do  so  by  letter." 

"  You  are  a  very  courteous  gentleman,  Mr.  Fer- 
rani," Pamela  declared,  dropping  him  a  little  mock 
curtsey,  "  and  good  morning !  " 

She  made  her  way  into  the  street  outside,  shook 
her  head  to  the  commissionaire's  upraised  whistle, 
and  strolled  along  until  she  came  to  a  cross  street 
down  which  several  motor-cars  were  waiting.  She 
approached  one  —  a  very  handsome  limousine  —  and 
checked  the  driver  who  would  have  sprung  from  his 
seat. 

"  George,"  she  said,  "  I  am  going  to  pay  a  call  at 
a  disreputable-looking  news-shop,  just  where  I  am 
pointing.  You  can't  bring  the  car  there,  as  the 
street  is  too  narrow.  You  might  follow  me  on  foot 
and  be  about." 

The  young  man  touched  his  hat  and  obeyed.     A 


24  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

few  yards  down  the  street  Pamela  found  her  destina- 
tion, and  entered  a  gloomy  little  shop.  A  slatternly 
woman  looked  at  her  curiously  from  behind  the  coun- 
ter. 

"  I  am  told  that  Hassan  lodges  here,  the  coffee- 
maker  from  Henry's,"  Pamela  began. 

The  woman  looked  at  her  in  a  peculiar  fashion. 

"Well?" 

"  I  wish  to  see  him." 

"  You  can't,  then,"  was  the  curt  answer.  "  He's 
at  his  prayers." 

"  At  what  ?  "  Pamela  exclaimed. 

"  At  his  prayers,"  the  woman  repeated  brusquely. 
"  There,"  s>he  added,  throwing  open  the  door  which 
led  into  the  premises  behind,  "  can't  you  hear  him, 
poor  soul?  He's  been  pinching  some  more  charms 
from  ladies'  bracelets,  or  something  of  the  sort,  I 
reckon.  He's  always  in  trouble.  He  goes  on  like 
this  for  an  hour  or  so,  and  then  he  forgives  him- 
self." 

Pamela  stood  by  the  open  door  and  listened  — 
listened  to  a  strange,  wailing  chant,  which  rose  and 
fell  with  almost  weird  monotony. 

"  Very  interesting,"  she  observed.  "  I  have  heard 
that  sort  of  thing  before.  Now  will  you  kindly  tell 
Hassan  that  I  wish  to  speak  to  him,  or  shall  I  go 
and  find  him  for  myself?  " 

"  Well,  you've  got  some  brass ! "  the  woman  de- 
clared, with  a  sneer. 

"  And  some  gold,"  Pamela  assented,  passing  a 
pound  note  over  to  the  woman. 

"  Do  you  want   to   see  him   alone  ? "   the  latter 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  25 

asked,  almost  snatching  at  the  note,  but  still  regard- 
ing Pamela  with  distrustful  curiosity. 

"  Of  course,"  was  the  calm  reply. 

The  woman  opened  her  lips  and  closed  them  again, 
sniffed,  and  led  the  way  down  a  short  passage,  at 
the  end  of  which  was  a  door. 

"  There  you  are,"  she  muttered,  throwing  it  open. 
"  You've  arst  for  it,  mind.  'Tain't  my  busi- 
ness." 

She  slouched  her  way  back  again  into  the  shop. 
At  first  Pamela  could  scarcely  see  anything  except  a 
dark  figure  on  his  knees  before  a  closed  and 
shrouded  window.  Then  she  saw  Hassan  rise  to 
his  feet,  saw  the  glitter  of  his  eyes. 

"  Pull  up  the  blind,  Hassan,"  she  directed. 

He  came  a  step  nearer  to  her.  The  gloom  in  the 
apartment  was  extraordinary.  Only  his  shape  and 
his  eyes  were  visible. 

"  Do  as  I  tell  you,"  she  ordered.  "  Pull  up  the 
blind.  It  will  be  better." 

He  hesitated.  Then  he  obeyed.  Even  then  the 
interior  of  the  room  seemed  shadowy  and  obscure. 
Pamela  could  only  see,  in  contrast  with  the  rest  of 
the  house,  that  it  was  wonderfully  and  spotlessly 
clean.  In  one  corner,  barely  concealed  by  a  low 
screen,  his  bed  stood  upon  the  floor.  Hassan  mut- 
tered something  in  an  Oriental  tongue.  Pamela  in- 
terrupted him.  She  spoke  in  the  soothing  tone  one 
uses  towards  a  child. 

"  That's  all  right,  Hassan,"  she  said.  "  Sorry  to 
have  interrupted  you  at  your  prayers,  but  it  had  to 
be  done.  You  know  me  ?  " 


a6  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  Yes,  mistress,"  he  answered  unwillingly.  "  I 
your  dragoman  one  year  in  Cairo.  What  you  want 
here,  mistress?  " 

"  You  know  that  I  know,"  she  went  on,  "  that  you 
are  a  Turk  and  a  Mohammedan,  and  not  an 
Egyptian  at  all." 

"  Yes,  mistress,  you  know  that,"  he  muttered. 

"  And  you  also  know,"  she  continued,  "  that  if  I 
give  you  away  to  the  authorities  you  will  be  sent 
at  once  to  a  very  uncomfortable  internment  camp, 
where  you  won't  even  have  an  opportunity  to  wash 
more  than  once  a  day,  where  you  will  have  to  herd 
with  all  sorts  of  people,  who  will  make  fun  of  your 
colour  and  your  religion  — " 

"  Don't,  mistress !  "  he  shouted  suddenly.  "  You 
will  not  tell.  I  think  you  will  not  tell !  " 

He  was  sidling  a  little  towards  her.  Again  one 
of  those  curious  changes  seemed  to  have  transformed 
him  from  a  dumb,  passive  creature  into  a  savage. 
There  was  menace  in  his  eyes.  She  waved  him  back 
without  moving. 

"  I  have  come  to  make  a  bargain  with  you,  Has- 
san," she  said,  "  just  a  few  words,  that  is  all.  Not 
quite  so  near,  please." 

He  paused.  There  was  a  moment's  silence.  His 
face  was  within  a  foot  of  hers,  lowering,  black, 
bestial.  Her  eyes  met  his  without  a  tremor.  Her 
full,  sweet  lips  only  curved  into  a  faintly  con- 
temptuous line. 

"  You  cannot  frighten  me,  Hassan,"  she  declared. 
"  No  man  has  ever  done  that.  And  outside  I  have 
a  chauffeur  with  muscles  of  iron,  who  waits  for  me. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  «7 

Be  reasonable.  Listen.  There  are  secrets  con- 
nected with  your  restaurant." 

"  I  know  nothing,"  he  began  at  once ;  "  nothing, 
mistress  —  nothing !  " 

"  Quite  naturally,"  she  continued.  "  I  only  need 
one  piece  of  information.  A  man  disappeared  there 
this  morning.  I  just  have  to  find  him.  That's 
all  there  is  about  it.  At  half-past  one  he  was  in- 
veigled into  the  musicians'  room  and  by  some  means 
or  other  rendered  unconscious.  At  three  o'clock  he 
had  been  removed.  I  want  to  know  what  became 
of  him.  You  help  me  and  the  whole  world  can 
believe  you  to  be  an  Egyptian  for  the  rest  of  their 
lives.  If  you  can't  help  me  it  is  rather  unfortunate 
for  you,  because  I  shall  tell  the  police  at  once 
who  and  what  you  are.  Don't  waste  time,  Has- 
san." 

He  stood  thinking,  rubbing  his  hands  and  bowing 
before  her,  yet,  as  she  knew  very  well,  with  murder 
in  his  heart.  Once  she  saw  his  long  fingers  raised  a 
little. 

"  Quite  useless,  Hassan,"  she  warned  him.  "  They 
hang  you  in  England,  you  know,  for  any  little  trifle 
such  as  you  are  thinking  of.  Be  sensible,  and  I 
may  even  leave  a  few  pound  notes  behind  me." 

"  Mistress  should  ask  Joseph,"  he  muttered.  **  I 
know  nothing." 

"  Oh,  mistress  is  going  to  ask  Joseph  all  right," 
she  assured  him,  "  but  I  want  a  little  information 
from  you,  too.  You've  got  to  earn  your  freedom, 
you  know,  Hassan.  Come,  what  do  they  do  with 
the  people  who  disappear  from  the  restaurant?  " 


28  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  Not   understand,"    was    the   almost   piteous    re- 

p]y- 

Pamela  sighed.  She  had  again  the  air  of  one 
being  patient  with  a  child. 

"  See  here,  Hassan,"  she  went  on,  "  a  few  days 
ago  I  went  over  that  restaurant  from  top  to  bottom 
with  the  manager.  There  is  the  musicians'  room, 
isn't  there,  just  over  the  entrance  hall?  I  suppose 
those  little  glass  places  in  the  floor  are  movable,  and 
then  one  can  hear  every  word  that  is  spoken  below. 
I  am  right  so  far,  am  I  not  ?  " 

Hassan  answered  nothing.  His  breathing,  how- 
ever, had  become  a  little  deeper. 

"  An  unsuspecting  person,  passing  from  the  toilet 
rooms  upstairs,  could  easily  be  induced  to  enter.  I 
think  that  there  must  be  another  exit  from  that 
room.  Yes  ?  " 

"  Yes !  "     Hassan  faltered. 

"To  where?" 

"  The  wine-cellars." 

"And  from  there?" 

Hassan  was  suddenly  voluble.  Truth  unlocked 
his  tongue. 

"  Not  know,  mistress  —  not  know  another  thing. 
No  one  enters  wine-cellaf  but  three  men.  One  of 
those  not  know.  If  I  guess  —  I,  Hassan  —  I  look  at 
little  chapel  left  standing  in  waste  place.  Perhaps 
I  wonder  sometimes,  but  I  not  know." 

Pamela  drew  three  notes  from  her  gold  purse, 
smoothed  them  out  and  handed  them  over. 

"  Three  pounds,  Hassan,  silence,  and  good  day ! 
You'll  live  longer  if  you  open  your  windows  now  and 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  29 

then,  and  get  a  little  fresh  air,  instead  of  praying 
yourself  hoarse." 

Again  the  black  figure  swayed  perilously  towards 
her.  She  affected  not  to  notice,  not  to  notice  the 
hand  which  seemed  for  a  moment  as  though  it  would 
snatch  the  door  handle  from  her  grasp.  She  passed 
out  pleasantly  and  without  haste.  The  last  sound 
she  heard  was  a  groan. 

"  Done  your  bit  o'  business,  eh?  "  the  landlady 
asked  curiously. 

Pamela  nodded  assent. 

"  Rather  an  odd  sort  of  lodger  for  you,  isn't  he?  " 

"  Not  so  odd  as  his  visitors,"  the  woman  retorted, 
with  an  evil  sneer. 

Pamela  passed  into  the  narrow  street  and  drew  a 
long  sigh  of  relief.  Then  she  entered  her  car  and 
gave  the  chauffeur  an  address  from  the  slip  of  paper 
which  she  carried  in  her  hand.  When  they  stopped 
outside  the  little  block  of  flats  he  prepared  to  follow 
her. 

"  Tough  neighbourhood  this,  madam,"  he  said. 

"  Maybe,  George,"  she  replied,  waving  him  back, 
"  but  you've  got  to  stay  down  here.  If  the  man  I 
am  going  to  see  thought  I  was  frightened  of  him  I 
wouldn't  have  a  chance,  If  I  am  not  down  in  half 
an  hour  you  can  try  number  18C." 

The  chauffeur  resumed  his  place  on  the  driving- 
seat  of  the  car.  Pamela,  heartily  disliking  her  sur- 
roundings, was  escorted  by  a  shabby  porter  to  a 
shabbier  lift. 

"  You'll  find  Mr.  Joseph  in,"  the  lift  boy  assured 
her  with  a  grin. 


90  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Pamela  found  the  number  at  the  end  of  an  ua- 
swept  stone  passage.  At  her  third  summons  the 
door  was  cautiously  opened  by  a  large,  repulsive- 
looking  woman,  with  a  mass  of  peroxidised  hair. 
She  stared  at  her  visitor  first  in  amazement,  then  in 
rapidly  gathering  resentment. 

"  Mr.  Joseph  is  at  home,"  she  admitted  trucu- 
lently, in  response  to  Pamela's  inquiry.  "  What 
might  you  be  wanting  with  him  ?  " 

"  If  you  will  be  so  good  as  to  let  me  in  I  will 
explain  to  Mr.  Joseph,"  Pamela  replied. 

The  woman  seemed  on  the  point  of  slamming  the 
door.  Suddenly  there  was  a  voice  from  behind  her 
shoulder.  Joseph  appeared  —  not  the  smiling,  joy- 
ous Joseph  of  Henry's  but  a  sullen-looking  negro, 
dressed  in  shirt  and  trousers  only,  with  a  heavy 
under-lip  and  frowning  forehead. 

"  Let  the  lady  pass  and  get  into  the  kitchen, 
Nora,"  he  ordered.  "  Come  this  way,  mam." 

Pamela  followed  her  guide  into  a  parlour,  redolent 
of  stale  cigar  smoke,  with  oilcloth  on  the  floor  and 
varnished  walls,  an  abode  even  more  horrible  than 
Hassan's  lair.  Joseph  closed  the  door  carefully 
behind  him,  and  made  no  apology  for  his  dishabille. 
He  simply  faced  Pamela. 

"  Say,  what  is  it  you  want  with  me  ?  "  he  demanded 
truculently. 

"A  trifle,"  she  answered.  "The  key  of  the 
chapel  in  the  little  plot  of  waste  ground  next 
Henry's." 

She  meant  him  to  be  staggered,  and  he  was.  He 
reeled  back  for  a  moment. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  31 

"What  the  hell  are  you  talking  about?"  he 
gasped. 

"  Facts,"  Pamela  replied.  "  Do  you  want  to  save 
yourself,  Joseph?  You  can  do  it  if  you  choose." 

He  folded  his  arms  and  stood  in  front  of  the  closed 
door.  Without  a  collar,  his  neck  bulged  unpleas- 
antly behind.  There  was  nothing  whatever  left  of 
the  suave  and  genial  chef  d'orchestra. 

"  Save  myself  from  what,  eh  ?  Just  let  me  get 
wise  about  it." 

Pamela's  eyebrows  were  daintily  elevated. 

"  Dear  me !  "  she  murmured.  "  I  thought  you 
were  more  intelligent.  Listen.  You  know  where 
we  met  last?  Let  me  remind  you.  You  were  play- 
ing in  the  Winter  Garden  at  Berlin,  and  the  gentle- 
man whom  I  was  with,  an  attache  at  the  American 
Embassy,  spoke  to  you.  He  told  me  a  good  deal 
about  your  past  life,  Joseph,  and  your  present  one. 
You  are  in  the  pay  of  the  Secret  Service  of  Germany. 
Am  I  to  go  to  Scotland  Yard  and  tell  them 
BO?" 

He  looked  at  her  wickedly. 

"  You'd  have  to  get  out  of  here  first." 

"  Don't  be  silly,"  she  advised  him  contemptuously. 
"  Remember  you're  talking  to  an  American  woman 
and  don't  waste  your  breath.  You  can  be  in  the 
Secret  Service  of  any  country  you  like,  without  in- 
terference from  me.  On  the  other  hand,  there's 
just  one  thing  I  want  from  you." 

"  What  is  it  ?     I  haven't  got  any  key." 

"  I  want  to  discover  exactly  what  has  become  of 
Captain  Graham,"  she  declared. 


32  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"What,  the  guy  that  missed  his  lunch  to-day?" 
he  growled. 

"  I  see  you  know  all  about  it,"  she  continued 
equably. 

"  So  he's  your  spark,  is  he  ?  "  Joseph  observed 
slowly,  his  eyes  blinking  as  he  leaned  a  little  for- 
ward. 

"  On  the  contrary,"  Pamela  replied,  "  I  have 
never  met  him.  However,  that's  beside  the  point. 
Do  I  have  the  key  of  that  chapel?  " 

"  You  do  not." 

"Have  you  got  it?" 

"  Right  here,"  Joseph  assented,  dangling  it  before 
her  eyes. 

"  I  think  it's  a  fair  bargain  I'm  offering  you,"  she 
reminded  him.  "  You  lose  the  key  and  keep  your 
place.  You  only  have  to  keep  your  mouth  shut  and 
nothing  happens." 

"  Nothing  doing,"  the  negro  declared  shortly. 
"Keys  as  important  as  this  ain'b  lost.  If  I  part 
with  it,  I  get  the  chuck,  and  I  probably  get  into  the 
same  mess  as  the  others.  If  I  keep  it  — ' 

"  If  you  keep  it,"  Pamela  interrupted,  "  you  will 
probably  stand  with  your  back  to  the  light  in  the 
Tower  within  the  next  few  days.  They've  left  off 
being  lenient  with  spies  over  here." 

He  looked  at  her,  and  there  were  things  in  his  eyes 
which  few  women  in  the  world  could  have  seen  with- 
out terror.  Pamela's  lips  only  came  a  little  closer 
together.  She  pressed  the  inside  of  the  ring  upon 
her  third  finger,  and  a  ray  of  green  fire  seemed  to 
shoot  forward. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  33 

"  I  guess  I'm  up  against  it,"  he  growled,  taking  a 
step  forward.  "  I'll  have  something  of  what's 
coming  to  me,  if  I  swing  for  it." 

His  arm  was  suddenly  around  her,  his  face 
hideously  close.  He  gave  a  little  snarl  as  he  felt  the 
pinprick  through  his  shirt  sleeve.  Then  he  went 
spinning  round  and  round  with  his  hand  to  his  head. 

"  What  in  God's  name !  "  he  spluttered.  "  What 
in  hell— !" 

He  reeled  against  the  horsehair  easy-chair  and 
slipped  on  to  the  floor.  Pamela  calmly  closed  her 
ring,  stooped  over  him,  withdrew  the  key  from  his 
pocket,  crossed  the  room  and  the  dingy  little  hall 
with  swift  footsteps,  and,  without  waiting  for  the 
lift,  fled  down  the  stone  steps.  Before  she  reached 
the  bottom,  she  heard  the  shrill  ringing  of  the  lift 
bell,  the  angry  shouting  of  the  woman.  Pamela, 
however,  strolled  quietly  out  and  took  her  place  in 
the  car. 

"  Back  to  the  hotel,  George,"  she  directed  the 
chauffeur.  "  Don't  stop  if  thej'  call  to  you  from  the 
flats." 

The  young  man  sprang  up  to  his  seat  and  the  car 
glided  off.  Pamela  leaned  forward  and  looked  at 
herself  in  the  mirror.  There  was  a  shade  more 
colour  in  her  face,  perhaps,  than  usual,  but  her  low 
waves  of  chestnut  hair  were  unruffled.  She  used 
her  powder  puff  with  attentive  skill  and  leaned  back. 

"  That's  the  disagreeable  part  of  it  over,  any- 
way," she  sighed  to  herself  contentedly. 


CHAPTER  IV 

The  last  of  the  supper-guests  had  left  Henry's 
Restaurant,  the  commissionaire's  whistle  was  silent. 
The  light  laughter  and  frivolous  adieux  of  the 
departing  guests  seemed  to  have  melted  away  into  a 
world  somewhere  beyond  the  pale  of  the  unseasonable 
fog.  The  little  strip  of  waste  ground  adjoining  was 
wrapped  in  gloom  and  silence.  The  exterior  of  the 
bare  and  deserted  chapel,  long  since  unconsecrate, 
was  dull  and  lifeless.  Inside,  however,  began  the 
march  of  strange  things.  First  of  all,  the  pinprick 
of  light  of  a  tiny  electric  torch  seemed  as  though  it 
had  risen  from  the  floor,  and  Hassan,  pushing  back 
a  trap-door,  stepped  into  the  bare,  dusty  conventicle. 
He  listened  for  a  moment,  then  made  a  tour  of  the 
windows,  touched  a  spring  in  the  wall,  and  drew 
down  long,  thick  blinds.  Afterwards  he  passed  be- 
tween the  row  of  dilapidated  benches  and  paused  at 
the  entrance  door.  He  stooped  down,  examined  the 
keyless  lock,  shook  it  gently,  gazed  upwards  and 
downwards  as  though  in  vain  search  of  bolts  that 
were  never  there.  His  white  teeth  gleamed  for  a 
moment  in  the  darkness.  He  turned  away  with  a 
little  shiver. 

"  Not  my  fault,"  he  muttered  to  himself.  "Not 
my  fault." 

He  listened  for  a  moment  intently,  as  though  for 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  35 

footsteps  outside.  The  disturbance,  however,  came 
from  the  other  end  of  the  building.  There  was  a 
sharp  knocking  from  the  trap-door  by  which  he  had 
ascended.  He  touched  an  electric  knob.  The  place 
was  dimly  yet  sufficiently  illuminated.  He  hastened 
towards  the  further  end  of  the  place  and  pulled  up 
the  trap-door.  A  melancholy-looking  little  proces- 
sion slowly  emerged.  First  of  all  came  Joseph,  step- 
ping backwards,  supporting  the  head  and  shoulders 
of  Graham,  still  bound  and  gagged.  After  him 
came  a  dark,  swarthy-faced  wine  waiter,  who  sup- 
ported Graham's  feet.  Behind  followed  Fischer, 
carrying  his  silk  hat  and  cane  in  his  hand.  He 
paused  for  a  moment  as  he  stepped  on  the  floor  of 
the  chapel,  and  brushed  the  dust  from  his  trousers. 

"  You  can  take  out  the  gag  now,"  he  ordered  the 
two  men.  "  There  isn't  much  shout  in  him." 

They  laid  him  upon  a  couch,  and  Joseph  obeyed 
the  order.  Graham's  head  swung  helplessly  on  one 
side.  His  eyes  opened,  however,  and  he  struggled 
for  consciousness.  His  lips  twitched  for  a  moment. 
In  these  long  hours  he  had  almost  forgotten  the  habit 
of  speech.  The  words,  when  they  came,  sounded 
strange  to  him. 

"  What  —  where  am  I  ?  What  do  you  want  with 
me?" 

Fischer  laid  his  hat  and  stick  upon  a  table,  on 
which  also  stood  a  telephone  instrument. 

"  The  formula,  my  young  friend,"  he  replied,  "  for 
that  wonderful  explosive  of  which  you  spoke  in  the 
lobby." 

A  sudden  accession  of  nervous  strength  brought 


36  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

something  almost  like  passion  into  the  young  man's 
reply,  although  to  himself  there  still  seemed  some 
unreality  in  the  words  which  might  have  come  from 
the  walls  or  the  roof  —  surely  not  from  his  lips. 

"  I'll  see  you  damned  first !  " 

Fischer  smiled.  The  man  was  good-looking,  in 
his  way,  but  this  was  a  pale  and  ugly  smile. 

"  My  request  was  merely  a  matter  of  courtesy," 
he  remarked.  "  The  difficulty  of  searching  you  is 
not  formidable.  It  would  have  been  undertaken 
long  ago  but  for  the  fact  that  the  restaurant  has 
been  crowded  and  gags  sometimes  slip.  Besides, 
there  was  no  hurry.  Observe !  " 

He  leaned  over  Graham,  who  for  the  first  time 
struggled  furiously  but  ineffectually  with  his  bonds. 
His  fingers  all  the  time  were  straining  towards  the 
inside  pocket  of  his  coat.  Fischer  nodded  under- 
standingly. 

"  Allow  me  to  anticipate  you,"  he  said. 

With  a  quick  thrust  he  drew  a  little  handful  of 
papers  from  the  pocket  of  his  captive.  One  by  one 
he  glanced  them  through  and  flung  them  on  to  the 
floor.  As  he  came  towards  the  end  of  his  search, 
however,  his  expression  of  confident  complacency 
vanished.  His  lips  shrivelled  up  a  little,  his  eyes 
narrowed.  The  last  folded  sheet  of  paper  —  a  little 
perfumed  note  from  Peggy,  thanking  Sandy  for  his 
beautiful  roses  —  he  crumpled  fiercely  into  a  little 
ball.  He  opened  his  lips  to  speak,  then  he  paused. 
A  new  light  broke  in  upon  him.  The  fury  had 
passed  from  Sandy  Graham's  face.  In  its  stead 
there  was  an  expression  of  blank  astonishment. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  37 

"  Where  is  the  formula  ?  "  Fischer  asked  fiercely. 

There  was  no  reply.  Sandy  Graham  was  still 
staring  at  the  little  pile  of  papers  upon  the  floor. 
Fischer  made  a  brief  examination  of  the  other  pock- 
ets. Then  he  stepped  back.  His  voice  shook,  his 
face  was  dark  and  malevolent. 

"  Joseph,  Hassan,  Jules  —  listen  to  me !  "  he  or- 
dered. "  Did  any  one  else  enter  the  musicians'  room 
whilst  he  was  lying  in  the  alcove?  " 

"  Impossible !  "  Jules  declared. 

"  The  door  was  locked,"  Hassan  murmured. 

"  Stop !  "  Joseph  exclaimed. 

Fischer  wheeled  round  upon  him. 

«  Well?  "  he  exclaimed.     "  Get  on,  then.    Who?  " 

Joseph  moistened  his  lips.  He  was  still  feeling 
sore  and  dizzy,  but  he  began  to  see  his  way. 

"  You  noticed,  perhaps,"  he  said,  "  the  American 
girl  —  the  beautiful  young  lady  with  this  guy's 
friends?  She  was  waiting  with  the  others  for  Cap- 
tain Graham  to  come  down.  I  saw  her  go  up  the 
stairs.  I  saw  her  come  down  again,  three  minutes 
later." 

"Miss  Van  Teyl? "  Fischer  exclaimed,  with  a 
frown.  "  You're  mad,  Joseph !  " 

The  negro  laughed  grimly. 

"  Am  I !  "  he  retorted.  "  I  tell  you  this,  Master 
Fischer.  She  was  in  Berlin  where  I  was,  and  she 
was  at  the  Embassy  every  day.  She  was  asked  to 
leave  there.  They  put  her  over  the  frontier  into 
Holland.  I  knew  her  when  she  came  into  the  res- 
taurant. She's  no  society  young  lady,  she  ain't! 
Bet  you  she  was  on  to  the  goods." 


38  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Fischer  hesitated  for  a  moment.  The  thoughts 
were  chasing  one  another  through  his  brain.  Then 
he  took  up  the  receiver  from  the  telephone  instrument 
which  stood  upon  the  table. 

"  1560  Mayfair,"  he  asked  in  a  low  tone. 

They  all  stood  listening,  grouped  around  Gra- 
ham's writhing  figure. 

"Hullo!  Is  that  Claridge's  Hotel?"  Fischer 
went  on.  "  I  am  speaking  from  Giro's.  Put  me 
through,  if  you  please,  to  Miss  Van  Teyl's  apart- 
ments. .  .  What?  Repeat  that,  will  you?  .  .  . 
Thank  you." 

Fischer  laid  down  the  receiver.  He  turned  to- 
wards the  others.  He  was  breathing  a  little  quickly, 
and  his  eyes  glittered  behind  his  gold-rimmed  spec- 
tacles. 

"  Miss  Van  Teyl,"  he  announced,  "  has  left  for 
Tilbury.  She  is  going  out  on  the  Lapland  this 
morning.  My  God,  she's  got  the  formula !  " 

There  was  a  moment's  silence.  Joseph  was  stand- 
ing by  with  a  wicked  look  on  his  face. 

"  I  saw  her  slip  away,"  he  muttered,  "  and  I 
watched  her  come  down  again.  There  was  just 
time." 

Fischer  turned  suddenly  to  where  Graham  was 
lying.  He  drew  a  sheet  of  writing  paper  from  the 
rack  upon  the  table,  and  a  pencil  from  his  pocket. 
There  was  an  evil  and  concentrated  significance  in 
his  tone. 

"  That  formula,"  he  said,  "  can  be  written  again. 
I  think  you  had  better  write  it." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  39 

"  I'll  see  you  damned  first !  "  was  the  weak  but 
prompt  reply. 

Fischer  bent  a  little  lower  over  the  prostrate 
figure.  "  Look  here,"  he  went  on,  "  we  don't  run 
risks  like  this  for  nothing.  You're  better  dead  than 
alive,  so  far  as  we  are  concerned,  anyway.  We'd 
planned  to  take  the  formula  from  you,  and  you  can 
guess  the  rest.  There  are  cellars  underneath  here 
into  which  no  one  ever  goes  who  matters.  Now 
here's  a  chance  of  life  for  you.  Write  down  that 
formula  —  truthfully,  mind  —  and  we'll  discuss  the 
matter  of  taking  your  parole." 

"  See  you  damned  first ! "  Graham  repeated,  his 
voice  a  little  more  tremulous  but  still  convincing. 

Fischer  stood  upright  and  turned  to  Jules. 

"  Get  a  bottle  of  brandy  and  a  glass,"  he  ordered. 

The  man  pushed  open  the  trap-door  and  disap- 
peared. He  came  back  again  in  a  few  moments, 
with  a  bottle  in  one  hand  and  a  glass  in  the  other. 
Fischer  poured  out  some  of  the  cordial  and  drew  a 
small  table  up  to  Graham's  side. 

"  There,"  he  said,  loosening  the  cord  around  his 
left  wrist,  "  drink  that,  and  think  it  over.  We  shall 
be  gone  for  about  ten  minutes.  If  you  change  your 
mind  before,  ring  that  little  hand-bell.  If  you  have 
not  changed  your  mind  when  we  return,  it  will  be 
the  cellars." 

"  Beasts  !  "  Graham  muttered. 

Fischer  shrugged  his  shoulders.  For  a  moment 
he  had  straightened  himself.  His  face  had  softened, 
but  it  was  in  tune  with  his  thoughts. 


40  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  I  would  twist  the  necks  of  a  million  fools  like 
you,"  he  said,  "  for  the  sake  of  — " 

He  paused,  leaving  his  sentence  uncompleted,  and 
beckoned  to  the  other  men.  They  followed  him 
through  the  trap-door  and  down  into  the  cellars 
below.  The  place  was  once  more  silent.  Graham 
rolled  from  side  to  side,  drew  a  long  breath,  and 
tugged  vainly  at  his  bonds.  The  effort  overtaxed 
his  strength.  He  seemed  to  feel  the  darkness  closing 
in  upon  him,  the  rushing  of  the  sea  in  his  ears.  .  . 


CHAPTER  V 

So  far  as  Sandy  Graham  was  concerned,  his  un- 
consciousness might  have  lasted  an  hour  or  a  day. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  was  scarcely  a  minute  after 
the  disappearance  of  Fischer  and  his  confederates 
when  he  was  conscious  of  a  rush  of  cold  air  in  the 
place,  and  beheld  the  vision  of  a  tiny  flash  of  light 
at  the  lower  end  of  the  gloomy  building.  Imme- 
diately afterwards  he  heard  the  soft  closing  of  a 
door  and  beheld  a  tall,  shadowy  figure  slowly 
approaching.  He  lay  quite  still  and  looked  at  it, 
and  his  heart  began  to  beat  with  hope.  One  of  the 
lights  had  been  left  burning,  and  there  was  some- 
thing in  the  bearing  and  attitude  of  the  man  who 
finally  came  to  a  standstill  by  his  side,  which  was 
entirely  reassuring. 

"  Lutchester !  "  he  faltered.  "  My  God,  how  did 
you  get  here  ?  " 

"  Offices  of  a  young  lady,"  Lutchester  observed, 
producing  a  knife  from  his  pocket.  "  Allow  me !  " 

He  cut  the  cords  which  still  secured  Graham's 
limbs.  Then  he  looked  around  him. 

"  How  did  they  bring  you  here  ?  "  he  whispered. 
"  I  suppose  there  is  a  passage  from  the  restaurant?  " 

"  Up  through  a  trapdoor  there,"  Graham  ex- 
plained, pointing. 

Lutchester  stood  over  it  and  listened  intently. 


42  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Then  he  turned  around,  lifted  the  glass  of  brandy 
from  the  table,  smelt  it  approvingly,  and  tasted  it. 

"Excellent!"  he  pronounced.  "The  1840. 
Allow  me ! " 

He  refilled  the  glass  and  handed  it  to  Sandy,  who 
gulped  down  the  contents.  The  effect  was  almost 
instantaneous.  In  less  than  a  minute  he  had 
staggered  to  his  feet. 

"  Feel  strong  enough  to  walk  about  fifty  yards?  " 
Lutchester  inquired. 

"  I'd  walk  to  hell  to  get  out  of  this  place ! "  was 
the  prompt  reply. 

Lutchester  took  his  arm,  and  they  passed  down 
the  dusty  aisle  between  the  worm-eaten  and  decaying 
benches  and  through  the  outside  door,  which  Lut- 
chester closed  and  locked  behind  them.  The  rush 
of  cold  air  was  like  new  life  to  Graham. 

"  I  can  walk  all  right  now,"  he  muttered.  "  My 
God,  we'll  give  these  fellows  hell  for  this ! " 

They  made  their  very  difficult  way  across  a  plot 
of  ground  from  which  a  row  of  dilapidated  cottages 
had  been  razed  to  the  ground.  The  fog  still  hung 
around  them  and  seemed  to  bring  with  it  a  curious 
silence,  although  the  dying  traffic  from  one  of  the 
main  thoroughfares  reached  them  in  muffled  notes. 
Lutchester  climbed  to  the  top  of  a  pile  of  rubbish 
and  then,  turning  around,  held  out  his  hand. 

"  Up  here,"  he  directed. 

Graham  struggled  up  until  he  stood  by  his  com- 
panion's side.  The  latter  stood  quite  still,  listening 
for  a  moment.  Then  he  climbed  a  little  higher  and 
swung  around,  holding  out  his  hand  once  more. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  43 

"  I'm  on  top  of  the  wall,"  he  said.  "  Come 
on." 

Graham's  knees  were  shaking,  but  with  Lut- 
chester's  help  he  staggered  up  and  reached  his  side. 
On  the  pavement  below  a  man  in  chauffeur's  livery 
was  standing,  holding  out  his  hands,  and  by  the 
side  of  the  curbstone  a  closed  car  was  waiting. 
Somehow  or  other  the  two  reached  the  pavement. 
Lutchester  almost  pushed  his  companion  into  the 
limousine  and  stepped  in  after  him.  The  chauffeur 
sprang  to  his  seat  and  the  car  glided  off.  Graham 
just  realised  that  there  was  a  woman  by  his  side 
whose  face  was  vaguely  familiar.  Then  the  waves 
broke  in  upon  his  ears  once  more. 

"  I  was  right,  then,  it  seems,"  Pamela  observed 
approvingly.  "  You  were  just  the  man  for  this 
little  affair." 

Lutchester  sighed. 

"  Unfortunately,"  he  confessed,  "  a  messenger  boy 
would  have  been  as  effective.  I  stumbled  over  to  the 
chapel  —  rubber  shoes,  you  observe,"  he  remarked, 
pointing  downwards  — "  and  soon  discovered  that 
blinds  had  been  let  down  all  round  and  that  there 
were  people  inside.  There  was  just  a  faint  chink  in 
one,  and  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  several  men,  your 
friend  Oscar  amongst  them.  Having,"  he  went  on, 
"  an  immense  regard  for  my  personal  safety,  I  was 
hesitating  what  means  to  adopt  when  the  lights  were 
lowered,  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  the  men  were 
disappearing." 

"  Do  go  on,"  Pamela  murmured.  "  This  is  most 
exciting." 


44  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  In  a  sense  it  was  disappointing,"  Lutchester 
complained.  "  I  had  pictured  for  myself  a  dramatic 
entrance  ...  a  quiet  turning  of  the  key,  a  soft 
approach  —  owing  to  my  shoes,"  he  reminded  her  — 
"a  cough,  perhaps,  or  a  breath  .  .  .discovery, 
me  with  a  revolver  in  my  hand  pointed  to  the  arch- 
villain  — '  If  you  stir  you're  a  dead  man ! '  .  .  . 
Natural  collapse  of  the  villain.  With  my  left  hand 
I  slash  the  bonds  which  hold  Graham,  with  my  right 
I  cover  the  miscreants.  One  of  them,  perhaps, 
might  creep  behind  me,  and  I  hesitate.  If  I  move 
my  revolver  the  other  two  will  get  the  drop  on  me  — 
I  think  that  is  the  correct  expression  ?  A  wonderful 
moment,  that,  Miss  Van  Teyl !  " 

"  But  it  didn't  happen,"  she  protested. 

"  Ah !  I  forgot  that,"  he  acknowledged.  "  Still, 
I  was  prepared.  I  had  the  revolver  all  right.  But 
as  you  say,  it  didn't  happen.  I  made  my  way  to  the 
chapel  door,  let  myself  in,  found  our  friend  lying  in 
a  half-comatose  state  upon  one  of  the  blue  plush 
Henry  sofas,  in  the  shadow  of  a  horrible  deal  pulpit. 
I  gathered  that  he  had  been  left  there  to  reflect  upon 
his  sins.  There  was  a  bottle  of  remarkably  fine 
brandy  within  reach,  which  I  tested,  and  with  which 
I  dosed  our  friend  here.  I  then  cut  away  his  bonds, 
arm  in  arm  we  walked  down  the  aisle,  I  locked  up 
the  place,  threw  the  key  away,  kicked  my  shins  half- 
a-dozen  times  crossing  that  disgusting  little  plot  of 
land,  climbed  boldly  to  the  top  of  the  wall,  and 
behold!" 

Pamela  smiled  upon  him  in  congratulatory 
fashion. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  45 

"  On  the  whole,"  she  said,  "  I  am  quite  glad  that  I 
telephoned  to  you." 

"  You  showed  a  sound  discretion,"  he  admitted. 

"  If  he  had  not  been  lame,"  she  confessed,  "  I 
should  have  sent  to  Captain  Holderness." 

"  That  would  have  been  a  great  mistake,"  Lut- 
chester  assured  her.  "  Holderness  is  a  good  fellow 
but  devoid  of  imagination.  He  is  great  on  consti- 
tuted authority.  He  would  have  probably  marched 
up  with  a  squad  of  heavy-footed  policemen  —  and 
found  nothing." 

"  Yet  I  must  confess,"  Pamela  persisted,  with  a 
frankness  unaccountable  even  to  herself,  "  that  if  I 
could  have  thought  of  any  one  else  I  should  never 
have  telephoned  to  you." 

"And  why  not?" 

"  Because  I  should  not  have  classified  you  as  being 
of  the  adventurous  type,"  she  declared. 

Lutchester  looked  injured. 

"  After  all,"  he  protested,  "  that  is  not  my  fault. 
That  is  due  to  your  singular  lack  of  perception. 
However,  I  am  able  to  return  the  compliment.  I, 
for  my  part,  should  have  thought  that  you  were 
more  interested  in  the  fashions  than  in  paying  exceed- 
ingly rash  visits  to  degenerate  orientals  and  negroes." 

"  Perhaps  some  day,"  she  remarked,  "  we  may 
understand  one  another  better." 

He  met  her  gaze  with  a  certain  seriousness. 

"  I  hope  that  we  may,"  he  said. 

For  some  reason  they  were  both  silent  for  a 
moment.  Her  tone  had  changed  a  little  when  ske 
spoke  again. 


46  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

**  You  are  sure,"  she  asked,  "  that  you  do  not  mind 
my  leaving  the  rest  of  this  affair  in  your  hands? 
There  are  reasons,  which  I  cannot  tell  you  of  just 
now,  which  make  me  anxious  not  to  appear  in  it 
at  all." 

'*  I  accept  the  charge  as  a  privilege,"  he  assented. 
*'  We  are  within  a  few  yards  of  my  rooms  now.  I 
promise  you  that  I  will  look  after  Captain  Graham 
and  advise  him  as  to  the  proper  course  for  him  to 
pursue." 

The  car  came  to  a  standstill. 

"  This  then,"  she  said,  holding  out  her  hand,  "  will 
be  good-by  for  the  present." 

He  held  her  fingers  for  a  moment  without  reply. 
Quite  suddenly  she  decided  that  she  liked  him.  Then 
he  lifted  Graham,  who  was  half  asleep,  half  uncon- 
scious, to  his  feet,  and  assisted  him  from  the  car. 

"  Where  shall  I  tell  the  man  to  go  to?"  he  in- 
quired. 

"  He  knows,"  she  answered  with  sudden  tacitur- 
nity. 

"  Wherever  it  may  be,  then,"  he  replied,  "  bon 
voyage ! " 


CHAPTER  VI 

It  was  about  half-an-hour  later  when  Sandy 
Graham  opened  his  eyes  and  began  to  feel  the  life 
once  more  warm  in  his  veins.  He  was  seated  in  the 
most  comfortable  easy-chair  of  John  Lutchester's 
bachelor  sitting-room.  By  his  side  was  a  coffee 
equipage  and  a  decanter  of  brandy.  His  head 
still  throbbed,  and  his  bones  ached,  but  his  mind  was 
beginning  to  grow  clearer.  Lutchester,  who  had 
been  seated  at  the  writing  table,  swung  round  in  his 
chair  at  the  sound  of  his  guest's  movement. — 

"  Feeling  better,  eh  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  am  all  right  now,"  was  the  somewhat  shaky 
reply.  "  Got  a  head  like  a  turnip  and  a  tongue  like 
a  lime-kiln,  but  I'm  beginning  —  to  feel  myself." 

"  How's  your  memory  ?  " 

"  Hazy.  Let  me  see.  .  .  .  My  God,  I've  been 
robbed,  haven't  I !  " 

"  So  I  imagine,"  Lutchester  replied.  "  You 
rather  asked  for  it,  didn't  you?  " 

Graham  moved  uneasily  in  his  place.  He  had 
suddenly  the  feeling  of  being  back  at  school  —  and 
in  the  presence  of  the  headmaster. 

"  I  suppose  I  did  in  a  way,"  he  admitted,  "  but  at 
Henry's  —  why,  I've  always  looked  upon  the  place 
as  a  club  more  than  anything  else." 


48  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  I  am  afraid  that  I  can't  agree  with  you  there," 
Lutchester  observed.  "  I  should  consider  Henry's 
a  remarkably  cosmopolitan  restaurant,  where  a  man 
in  your  position  should  exercise  more  than  even 
ordinary  restraint." 

"  I  suppose  I  was  wrong,"  Graham  muttered, 
"  but  I  had  been  working  for  about  ten  hours  on 
end,  and  then  rushed  up  to  London  in  the  car  to 
try  and  keep  my  appointment  with  Holderness." 

"  Stop  anywhere  on  the  way?  " 

"  We  had  a  few  drinks,"  Graham  confessed.  "  I 
was  so  done  up.  Perhaps  I  had  more  than  I  meant 
to.  However,  it's  no  use  bothering  about  that  now. 
I've  been  robbed,  and  that's  all  there  is  about  it. 
Could  we  get  on  to  Scotland  Yard  from  here?  " 

"  We  could,  but  I  don't  think  we  will,"  Lutchester 
replied. 

Graham  was  puzzled. 

"  Why  not?  "  he  demanded.  "  That  formula  was 
the  most  wonderful  thing  that  has  ever  been  put 
together,  and  the  whole  thing's  so  simple.  I've 
been  afraid  every  second  that  some  one  else  might 
stumble  upon  it." 

"  It  is  without  doubt  a  great  loss,"  Lutchester 
admitted.  "  All  the  same,  I  don't  fancy  that  it's  a 
Scotland  Yard  business  exactly.  Have  you  any 
idea  who  robbed  you?  " 

Graham  paused  to  think.  His  eyes  were  still 
troubled  and  uncertain. 

"  It's  coming  back  to  me,"  he  muttered.  "  I 
remember  that  beastly  barn  of  a  chapel.  There 
were  Jules,  and  that  musician  fellow,  and  the  big 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  49 

American.  He  emptied  my  pockets.  .  .  .  Why, 
of  course,  I  remember  how  angry  he  was.  .  .  .  My 
pocketbook  was  gone !  They  left  me  alone  to 
write  out  the  formula  again,  and  then  you  came. 
.  .  .  How  on  earth  did  you  tumble  on  to  my  being 
there,  Lutchester  ?  " 

"  It  was  Miss  Pamela  Van  Teyl  whom  you  must 
thank,"  Lutchester  told  him,  "  not  me.  It  seems 
she  knew  more  about  Henry's  than  any  of  us. 
She'd  come  up  against  some  of  the  crew  in  Berlin, 
and  she  guessed  they  were  holding  you  for  that 
formula.  She  got  the  key  out  of  one  of  those  men 
and  then  telephoned  to  me  for  my  help." 

"  And  I  never  even  thanked  her,"  Graham  mur- 
mured weakly. 

There  was  a  moment's  silence.  The  recovering 
man's  consciousness  of  his  position  and  of  events 
was  evidently  as  yet  incomplete.  He  sat  up  sud- 
denly in  his  chair,  gripping  the  sides  of  it.  His 
eyes  were  large  with  reminiscent  trouble, 

"  My  pocketbook  had  gone  when  they  searched 
me,"  he  muttered. 

"  Are  you  sure  that  you  had  it  with  you  when 
you  came  into  Henry's  ?  "  Lutchester  inquired. 

"  Absolutely  certain." 

"  Do  you  think  you  can  remember  now  what  hap- 
pened when  you  went  upstairs  ?  " 

"  I  reached  the  lavatory  all  right  —  you  were  with 
me  then,  weren't  you?"  Graham  said  reflectively. 
"  I  hung  up  my  coat  while  I  washed,  but  there  was 
no  one  else  in  the  room.  Then  you  went  downstairs 
and  I  brushed  my  hair  and  just  stopped  to  light  a 


5o  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

cigarette.  You  know  that  on  the  right-hand  side 
of  the  landing  there  is  a  room  where  the  musicians 
change.  Joseph,  that  black  devil,  was  standing  in 
the  doorway.  He  grinned  as  I  came  into  sight. 
'  Lady  wants  to  speak  to  you  for  a  moment,  Captain 
Graham,'  he  said.  Well,  you  know  how  harmless 
the  fellow  looks  —  just  a  good-natured,  smiling 
nigger.  I  never  dreamed  of  anything  wrong.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  I  thought  that  Peggy  Vincent  — 
that's  a  young  lady  I  often  go  to  Henry's  with  — 
wanted  to  have  a  word  with  me  before  I  joined  our 
party.  I  stepped  inside  the  room,  and  that's  just 
about  all  I  can  remember.  It  must  have  been  jolly 
quick.  His  arm  shot  round  my  neck,  the  door  was 
closed,  and  that  other  brute  —  Hassan,  I  think  it 
was  —  held  something  over  my  face." 

"  But  that  room  was  searched,"  Lutchester  re- 
minded him. 

"  Well  I  came  to  just  a  little,"  Graham  explained, 
"  I  found  that  I  was  in  a  sort  of  cupboard  place, 
behind  the  lockers  these  fellows  have  for  their 
clothes.  It  opens  with  a  spring  lock,  and  you'd 
never  notice  it,  searching  the  room." 

"  Who  was  the  first  person  you  saw  when  you 
recovered  consciousness  ?  " 

Graham's  forehead  was  wrinkled  in  the  effort  to 
remember. 

"  I  can't  quite  get  hold  of  it,"  he  confessed,  "  but 
I  have  a  sort  of  fancy  I  can't  altogether  get  rid  of 
that  there  was  a  woman  about." 

Lutchester  looked  at  the  end  of  the  cigarette  he 
had  just  lit. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  51 

"A  woman?  "  he  repeated.     "  That's  queer." 

"  I  can't  remember  anything  definitely  until  I 
woke  up  in  that  chapel,"  Graham  continued,  "  but 
when  they  searched  me  and  found  that  the  pocket- 
book  had  gone,  Fischer,  the  big  American,  muttered 
some  woman's  name.  I  was  queer  just  at  the 
moment,  but  it  sounded  very  much  to  me  like 
Miss  Van  Teyl's.  He  rang  her  up  on  the  tele- 
phone." 

"  Did  they  suspect  Miss  Van  Teyl,  then,  of  having 
taken  your  pocketbook?  " 

Graham  shook  his  head. 

"  I  lost  the  drift  of  things  just  then,"  he  admitted. 
"  She  couldn't  have  done,  in  any  case.  Forgive  me, 
but  aren't  we  wasting  time,  Mr.  Lutchester?  We 
must  do  something.  Couldn't  you  ring  up  Scotland 
Yard  now?  " 

"  I  certainly  could,"  Lutchester  assented,  "  but, 
as  I  told  you  just  now,  I  don't  think  that  I 
will." 

Graham  stared  at  him. 

"But  why  not?" 

"  For  certain  very  definite  reasons  with  which  you 
needn't  trouble  yourself  just  now,"  Lutchester  pro- 
nounced. "  The  formula  has  gone,  without  a  doubt, 
but  it  certainly  isn't  in  the  hands  of  any  of  the 
people  at  Henry's." 

"  But  there's  that  American  fellow  —  Fischer !  " 
Graham  exclaimed.  "  He  was  the  ringleader !  " 

"  Just  so,"  Lutchester  murmured  thoughtfully. 
"  However,  he  hasn't  got  the  formula." 

"  But  he  planned  the  attack  upon  me,"  Graham 


5*  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

protested.  "  He  is  an  enemy  —  a  German  —  shel- 
tering himself  under  his  American  naturalization. 
Surely  we're  going  for  him?  " 

"  He's  a  wrong  'un,  of  course,"  Lutchester  ad- 
mitted, "  but  he  hasn't  got  the  formula." 

"  But  we  must  do  something !  "  Graham  continued, 
his  anger  rising  as  his  strength  returned.  "  Why, 
the  place  is  a  perfect  den  of  conspirators !  I  expect 
Ferrani  himself  is  in  it,  and  there's  that  other  maitre 
d'hotel,  Jules,  and  those  black  beasts,  Joseph  and 
Hassan,  besides  Fischer.  My  God,  they  shall  pay 
for  this !  " 

Lutchester  nodded. 

"  I  dare  say  they  will,"  he  admitted,  "  but  not 
quite  in  the  way  you  are  thinking  of." 

Graham  half  rose  to  his  feet. 

"  Look  here,"  he  said,  "  I'm  sane  enough  now, 
aren't  I,  and  in  my  proper  senses?  You  are  not 
going  to  suggest  that  we  don't  turn  the  police  on  to 
that  damned  place?  " 

"  I  certainly  am,"  was  the  brief  reply. 

Graham  was  aghast. 

"  What  do  you  mean  to  do,  then  ?  " 

"  Leave  them  alone  for  the  present.  Not  one  of 
them  has  the  formula.  Not  one  of  them  even  knows 
where  it  is." 

"  But  the  attack  upon  me?  " 

"  You  asked  for  all  you  got,"  Lutchester  told  him 
curtly,  "  and  perhaps  a  little  more." 

The  first  tinge  of  colour  came  back  to  Graham's 
cheeks.  His  eyes  flashed  with  anger. 

"  Perhaps  I  did,"  he  admitted,  "  but  that  doesn't 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  53 

alter  the  fact  that  I'm  going  to  have  some  of  my 
own  back  out  of  them." 

Lutchester  crossed  his  legs  and  turned  round  in 
his  chair.  For  the  first  time  he  directly  faced  his 
visitor.  His  tone,  though  not  unkindly,  was  im- 
perative. 

"  Young  fellow,"  he  said,  "  you'll  have  to  listen  to 
me  about  this." 

A  smouldering  sense  of  revolt  suddenly  found 
words. 

"  Listen  to  you?  What  the  devil  have  you  got  to 
do  with  it?  "  Graham  demanded. 

"  I  hate  to  remind  any  one  of  an  obligation," 
Lutchester  answered,  "  but  I  am  under  the  impres- 
sion that,  together  with  Miss  Van  Teyl,  of  course, 
I  rescued  you  from  an  exceedingly  inconvenient 
situation." 

"  I  haven't  had  time  yet  to  tell  you  how  grateful 
I  am,"  Graham  said  awkwardly.  "  You  were  a 
brick,  of  course,  and  how  you  and  Miss  Van  Teyl 
tumbled  on  to  the  whole  thing  I  can't  imagine. 
But  I  don't  understand  what  you're  getting  at 
now.  You  can't  suggest  that  I  am  to  leave  these 
fellows  alone  and  not  give  information  to  the 
police  ?  " 

"  The  character  of  the  place,"  Lutchester  assured 
him,  "  is  already  perfectly  well  known  to  the  heads 
of  the  police.  The  matter  will  be  dealt  with,  but 
not  in  the  way  you  suggest.  And  so  far  as  regards 
Fischer,  I  do  not  wish  him  interfered  with  for  the 
present." 

"  You  do  not  wish  him  interfered  with?  "  Graham 


54  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

repeated.  "  Where  the  devil  do  you  come  in  at 
all?" 

"  You  can  leave  me  out  of  the  matter  for  the 
present.  You  want  the  formula  back,  don't  you?  " 

"  My  God,  yes ! "  Graham  muttered  fervently. 
"  It's  all  very  well  to  give  one  a  pencil  and  a  piece 
of  paper  and  say  '  Write  it  out,'  but  there  are  cal- 
culations and  proportions  — " 

"  Precisely,"  Lutchester  interrupted.  "  You 
want  it  back  again.  Why  not  let  Fischer  do  the 
business?  He  has  an  idea  where  it's  gone.  The 
thing  to  do  seems  to  me  to  follow  him." 

"  To  follow  Fischer  ?  "  Graham  repeated  vaguely. 

"  Precisely.  If  he  thinks  the  formula  is  in  Eng- 
land, Fischer  will  stay  in  England.  If  he  thinks 
that  it  has  gone  abroad  he  will  go  abroad.  If  we 
leave  him  free  we  can  watch  which  he  does." 

Graham  swallowed  half  a  wineglassful  of  the 
brandy  by  his  side.  Then  he  leaned  forward. 

"  Look  here,"  he  said,  "  you'll  forgive  me  if  I  re- 
peat myself  and  ask  you  once  more  —  what  the  hell 
has  all  this  got  to  do  with  you  ?  " 

"  Just  this  much,"  Lutchester  replied,  "  that  I  in- 
sist upon  your  taking  the  course  of  action  in  this 
matter  which  I  propose." 

"  You  mean,"  Graham  protested,  working  himself 
gradually  into  a  state  of  wrath,  "  that  I  am  to  go 
back  to  my  rooms  as  though  nothing  had  happened, 
see  Holderness  and  the  others  to-morrow,  and  not 
have  a  word  of  explanation  to  offer?  That  I  am  to 
leave  those  blackguards  at  Henry's  to  try  their  dirty 
games  on  some  one  else,  and  let  Fischer,  the  man 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  55 

who  was  fully  inclined  to  become  my  murderer,  go 
away  unharmed?  I  think  not,  Mr.  Lut Chester.  I 
am  much  obliged  for  your  help,  but  you  are  talking 
piffle." 

"  What  do  you  propose  to  do,  then?  " 

"  I  am  going  round  to  Scotland  Yard  myself." 

Lutchester  rose  to  his  feet. 

"  Stay  where  you  are  for  a  minute,  please,"  he 
begged. 

He  passed  into  a  smaller  room,  and  Graham  could 
hear  faintly  the  sound  of  the  telephone.  In  a  min- 
ute or  two  his  host  returned. 

"  Go  in  there  and  speak,  Graham,"  he  invited. 
"  You  will  find  some  one  you  know  at  the  other  end." 

Graham  did  as  he  was  bidden,  and  Lutchester 
closed  the  door  after  him.  For  a  few  minutes  the 
latter  sat  in  his  chair,  smoking  quietly,  his  eyes  fixed 
upon  the  fire.  Then  his  unwilling  guest  reappeared. 
He  came  into  the  room  a  little  unsteadily  and  looked 
with  new  eyes  at  the  man  who  seemed  so  unaccount- 
ably to  have  taken  over  the  control  of  his  affairs. 

"  I  don't  understand  all  this,"  he  muttered. 
"  Who  the  devil  are  you,  anyway,  Lutchester?  " 

"  A  very  ordinary  person,  I  can  assure  you,"  was 
the  quiet  reply.  "  However,  you  are  satisfied,  I  sup- 
pose, that  my  advice  is  good?" 

"  Yes,  I  am  satisfied,"  Graham  answered  nerv- 
ously. "  You  know  that  —  that  I'm  under  ar- 
rest?" 

Lutchester  nodded. 

"  Well,  you're  not  asking  for  my  sympathy,  I  sup- 
pose? "  he  observed  drily. 


56  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

The  young  man  flushed. 

"  I  know  that  I  behaved  like  a  fool,"  he  admitted. 
"  All  the  same,  I've  been  working  night  and  day  for 
weeks  on  this  problem.  I  haven't  even  been  up  to 
town  once.  I  must  say  I  think  they  seem  inclined 
to  be  a  little  hard  on  me." 

"  No  one  is  going  to  be  in  the  least  hard  on  you," 
Lutchester  assured  him.  "  You  have  committed  a 
frightful  indiscretion,  and  all  that  is  asked  of  you 
now  is  to  keep  your  mouth  shut.  If  you  do  that,  I 
think  a  way  will  be  found  for  you  out  of  your 
troubles." 

"But  what  is  to  become  of  me?"  Graham 
demanded. 

"  I  understand  that  you  are  to  be  taken  to  North- 
umberland to-morrow,"  Lutchester  informed  him. 
"  There  you  will  be  allowed  every  facility  for  fresh 
experiments.  In  the  meantime,  I  have  promised  to 
give  you  a  shakedown  here  for  the  night.  You  will 
find  a  soldier  on  guard  outside  your  door,  but  you 
can  treat  him  as  your  servant." 

"  You  are  very  kind,"  Graham  faltered,  a  little 
vaguely.  "  If  only  I  could  understand  — 

Lutchester  rose  to  his  feet.  His  manner  became 
more  serious,  his  tone  had  in  it  a  note  of  final- 
ity. 

"  Captain  Graham,"  he  interrupted,  "  don't  try 
to  understand.  I  will  tell  you  as  much  as  this,  if  it 
helps  you.  Henry's  Restaurant  will  be  placed  un- 
der the  closest  surveillance,  but  we  wish  nothing  dis- 
turbed there  at  the  moment  until  we  have  discovered 
the  future  plans  of  Mr.  Oscar  Fischer." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  57 

"  The  big  German-American,"  Graham  muttered. 
"  He's  the  man  you  ought  to  get  hold  of." 

"  Some  day  I  hope  that  we  may,"  Lutchester  de- 
clared. "  For  the  moment,  however,  we  want  him 
undisturbed.  You  would  scarcely  believe  it,  per- 
haps, if  I  told  you  that  the  theft  of  your  formulas 
is  only  a  slight  thing  compared  to  the  bigger  busi- 
ness that  man  has  on  hand.  There  is  something  else 
at  the  back  of  his  head  which  is  worth  heaven  and 
earth  to  us  to  understand.  We  want  the  formula 
and  we  shall  have  it,  but  more  than  anything  else  in 
the  world  we  want  to  know  why  Fischer  has  pledged 
his  word  in  Berlin  to  bring  this  war  to  an  end  within 
three  months.  We  have  to  find  that  out,  and  we  are 
going  to  find  it  out  —  from  him.  You  see,  I  have 
treated  you  with  confidence,  Captain  Graham. 
Now  let  me  show  you  to  your  room."  Graham  put 
his  hand  to  his  forehead. 

"  I  feel  as  though  this  were  some  sort  of  night- 
mare," he  muttered.  "  I've  known  you  for  several 
months,  Mr.  Lutchester,  and  I  have  never  heard  you 
say  a  serious  word.  You  dance  at  Henry's ;  you 
made  a  good  soldier,  they  said,  but  you'd  had  enough 
of  it  in  twelve  months ;  you  play  auction  bridge  in 
the  afternoons ;  and  you  talk  about  the  war  as 
though  it  were  simply  an  irritating  circumstance. 
And  to-night  — " 

Lutchester  threw  open  the  door  of  his  own  bed- 
room and  pointed  to  the  bathroom  beyond. 

"  My  man  has  put  out  everything  he  thinks  you 
may  want,"  he  said.  "  Try  and  get  a  good  night's 
sleep.  And,  Graham." 


58  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"Yes?" 

"  Don't  bother  your  head  about  me,  and  don't  ask 
any  more  questions." 


CHAPTER  VH 

The  Lapland  was  two  days  out  from  Tilbury  be- 
fore Pamela  appeared  on  deck,  followed  by  her 
maid  with  an  armful  of  cushions,  and  the  deck 
steward  with  her  rugs.  She  had  scarcely  made  her- 
self comfortable  in  a  sunny  corner  when  she  was 
aware  of  the  approach  of  a  large,  familiar  figure. 
Her  astonishment  was  entirely  genuine. 

"  Mr.  Fischer !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  Why,  how  on 
earth  did  you  catch  this  steamer?  I  thought  you 
were  coming  on  the  Thursday  boat?" 

"  Some  inducement  to  change  my  mind,"  Mr. 
Fischer  replied,  drawing  a  chair  up  to  her  side. 

"  Meaning  me?  " 

"  I  guess  that's  so !  " 

"  Of  course,  I'm  exceedingly  flattered,"  Pamela 
observed,  "  or  rather  I  should  be  if  I  believed  you, 
but  I  don't  see  how  you  could  leave  a  supper-party 
at  Henry's  and  go  straight  to  Tilbury." 

"  Say,  how  did  you  know  I  was  supping  at 
Henry's  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  Because  I  was  there  for  luncheon  myself,  as  you 
know,"  she  answered  carelessly,  "  and  I  heard  you 
order  your  table  for  supper." 

Mr.  Fischer  nodded  reminiscently. 

"  I  always  wind  up  with  a  little  supper  at  Henry's, 


60  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

on  my  last  night  in  London,"  he  remarked.  "  It  left 
me  two  hours  to  get  down  to  Tilbury,  but  it  don't 
take  me  long  to  start  for  anywhere  when  I  once 
make  up  my  mind.  That's  the  American  of  us,  I 
suppose.  Besides,  I  never  need  much  in  the  way 
of  luggage.  I  keep  clothes  over  on  the  other  side 
and  clothes  in  New  York,  and  a  grip  always  ready 
packed  for  a  journey." 

"  You're  so  typical,"  she  murmured,  smiling. 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,"  he  replied.  "  My 
business  makes  it  necessary  for  me  to  be  always  on 
the  go.  Have  you  heard  from  your  brother  lately  ?  " 

Pamela  shook  her  head. 

"  Jimmy  is  the  most  terrible  correspondent,"  she 
complained.  "  I  don't  think  I've  had  any  mail  from 
him  for  two  months." 

"  You  didn't  know  that  he  and  I  were  sharing 
rooms  together,  then,  in  the  Plaza  Hotel,  I  sup- 
pose? " 

Pamela  turned  her  head  a  little  and  gazed  at  her 
companion  in  genuine  surprise. 

"  Sharing  rooms  in  the  Plaza  Hotel  ? "  she  re- 
peated. .  .  .  "  You  and  Jimmy  ?  " 

"  I  guess  that's  so,"  Mr.  Fischer  assented.  "  We 
were  doing  business  together  one  day,  and  the  sub- 
ject cropped  up  somehow  or  other.  Your  brother 
was  thinking  of  making  a  move,  and  I'd  just  been 
shown  these  rooms,  which  were  a  trifle  on  the  large 
side  for  me.  I  made  him  an  offer  and  he  jumped 
at  it." 

"  I  hope  you're  not  leading  James  into  extrava- 
gant ways"  she  remarked  anxiously.  "  I  loved  his 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  61 

little  apartment  in  Forty-Second  Street  and  it  was 
so  inexpensive.'* 

"  Your  brother's  share  of  these  rooms  isn't  any- 
thing more  than  he  can  afford,"  Mr.  Fischer  assured 
her.  "  That  I  can  promise  you.  I  guess  his  firm  is 
doing  well  just  now.  If  they've  many  more  clients 
like  me  they  are." 

"  It  is  very  nice  of  you  to  put  business  in  his 
way,"  Pamela  said  thoughtfully.  "  I  wonder  why 
you  do  it,  Mr.  Fischer?  " 

"Why  shouldn't  I?" 

"  Well,"  Pamela  went  on,  her  eyes  travelling  out 
seaward  for  a  moment,  "  you  seem  to  be  one  of  those 
sort  of  men,  Mr.  Fischer,  who  never  do  anything 
without  an  object." 

"  Some  powers  of  observation,"  he  admitted 
blithely. 

"  You  have  an  object  in  being  kind  to  Jimmy, 
then?" 

Mr.  Fischer  produced  a  cigar  case  and  selected  a 
cheroot. 

"  Mind  my  smoking?  " 

"  Not  in  the  least.  The  only  time  I  mind  things 
is  when  people  don't  answer  my  questions." 

**  I  was  only  kind  of  hesitating,"  Mr.  Fischer  went 
on,  leaning  back  once  more  in  his  chair.  "  You 
want  the  truth,  don't  you?" 

"  I  never  think  anything  else  is  worth  while." 

"  In  the  first  place,  then,"  her  companion  began, 
"  your  brother  belongs  to  what  I  suppose  is  known 
as  the  exclusive  set  in  New  York.  I  am  a  Westerner 
with  few  friends  there.  Through  him  I  have  ob- 


fa  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

tained  introductions  to  several  people  whom  it  waa 
interesting  to  me,  from  a  business  point  of  view,  to 
know." 

"  I  see,"  Pamela  murmured.  "  You  are  at  least 
frank,  Mr.  Fischer." 

"  I  am  going  to  be  more  frank  still,"  he  promised 
her.  "  Then  another  reason,  of  course,  was  because 
I  liked  him,  and  a  third,  which  I  am  not  sure  wasn't 
the  chief  of  all,  because  he  was  your  brother." 

Pamela  laughed  gaily. 

"  Is  that  necessary  ?  " 

"  Necessary  or  not,  it's  the  truth,"  he  assured  her. 
"  I  am  a  man  of  quick  impressions  and  lasting 
ones." 

"  But  we're  never  met  except  on  a  steamer," 
Pamela  reminded  him. 

"  I  know  it's  the  fashion,"  Mr.  Fischer  said,  "  to 
turn  up  one's  nose  at  steamer  acquaintances.  It 
isn't  like  that  with  me.  You  see,  I  don't  have  as 
much  opportunity  of  meeting  folk  as  some  others, 
perhaps.  The  most  interesting  people  I've  known 
socially  I've  met  on  steamers.  I  sat  at  your  table, 
side  by  side  with  you,  Miss  Van  Teyl,  for  seven  days 
a  few  months  ago.  I  guess  I'll  remember  those 
seven  days  as  long  as  I  live." 

Pamela  turned  her  head  and  looked  at  him.  The 
faintly  derisive  smile  died  away  from  her  lips.  The 
man  was  in  earnest.  A  certain  curiosity  stole  into 
her  eyes  as  the  seconds  passed.  She  studied  his 
hard,  strong  face,  with  its  great  jaw  and  prominent 
forehead;  the  mouth,  a  little  too  full,  and  belying 
the  rest  of  his  physiognomy,  yet  with  its  own  pecul- 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  63 

iar  strength.  He  had  taken  off  his  spectacles,  and 
it  seemed  to  her  that  the  cold,  flinty  light  of  his  eyes 
had  caught  for  a  moment  some  touch  of  the  softer 
blue  of  the  sea  or  the  sky.  Seated,  he  lost  some 
of  the  awkwardness  of  his  too  great  and  ill-carried 
height.  It  seemed  to  her  that  he  was  at  least  a 
person  to  be  reckoned  with,  either  in  friendship  or 
enmity. 

"  Are  you  an  American  born,  Mr.  Fischer, "  she 
asked  him. 

He  shook  his  head. 

"  I  was  born  at  Offenbach,"  he  told  her,  "  near 
Frankfurt.  My  father  brought  me  out  to  America 
when  I  was  eleven  years  old." 

"  You  must  find  the  present  condition  of  things  a 
little  trying  for  you,"  she  observed. 

Oscar  Fischer  put  on  his  glasses  again.  He  did 
not  answer  for  several  moments. 

"  That  opens  up  a  subject,  Miss  Van  Teyl,"  he 
said,  "  which  some  day  I  should  like  to  discuss  with 
you." 

"  Why  not  now  ?  "  she  invited.  "  I  feel  much  more 
inclined  for  conversation  than  reading." 

"  Tell  me,  then,  to  begin  with,"  he  asked  thought- 
fully, "  on  which  side  are  your  sympathies?  " 

"  I  try  to  do  my  duty  as  an  American  citizen," 
she  replied  promptly,  "  and  that  is  to  have  no  sym- 
pathies. Our  dear  country  has  set  the  world  an 
example  of  what  neutrality  should  be.  I  think  it 
is  the  duty  of  us  Americans  to  try  and  bring  our- 
selves into  exactly  the  same  line  of  feeling." 

He  changed  his  position  a  little  uneasily.     His 


64  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

attitude  became  less  of  a  sprawl.  His  eyes  were 
fixed  upon  her  face. 

'*  I  fear,"  he  said,  "  that  we  are  going  to  begin  by 
a  disagreement.  I  do  not  consider  that  America 
has  realised  in  the  least  the  duties  of  a  neutral 
nation." 

"  You  must  explain  that  at  once,  if  you  please, 
before  we  go  any  further,"  Pamela  insisted. 

"Is  this  neutrality?"  Fischer  demanded,  his 
rather  harsh  voice  almost  raucous  now  with  a  touch 
of  real  feeling.  "  America  ships  daily  millions  of 
dollars'  worth  of  those  things  that  make  war  pos- 
sible, to  France,  to  Italy,  above  all  to  England. 
She  keeps  them  supplied  with  ammunition,  clothing, 
scientific  instruments,  food  —  a  dozen  things  which 
make  war  easier.  To  Germany  she  sends  nothing. 
Is  that  neutrality  ?  " 

"  But  America  is  perfectly  willing  to  deal  in  the 
same  way  with  Germany,"  Pamela  pointed  out. 
"  German  agents  can  come  and  place  their  orders 
and  take  away  whatever  they  want.  The  market 
is  as  much  open  to  her  as  to  the  Allies." 

Fischer  was  sitting  bolt  upright  in  his  chair  now. 
There  was  a  little  spot  of  colour  in  his  cheeks  and 
his  eyes  flashed  behind  his  spectacles.  He  struck 
the  side  of  the  chair.  He  was  very  angry. 

"  That  is  Jesuitical,"  he  declared.  "  It  is  per- 
fectly well-known  that  Germany  is  not  in  a  position 
to  fetch  munitions  from  America.  Therefore,  I  say 
that  there  is  no  neutrality  in  supplying  one  side  in 
the  war  with  goods  which  the  other  is  unable  to 
procure." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  65 

"  Then  you  place  upon  America  the  onus  of  Ger- 
many's naval  inferiority,"  Pamela  remarked  drily. 

"  Germany's  maritime  inferiority  does  not  exist," 
Mr.  Fischer  protested.  "  When  the  moment  arrives 
that  the  High  Seas  fleet  comes  out  for  action  the 
world  will  know  the  truth." 

"  Then  hadn't  it  better  come,"  Pamela  suggested, 
"  and  clear  the  ocean  for  your  commerce?  " 

"That  isn't  the  point,"  Fischer  insisted.  "We 
have  wandered  from  the  main  issue.  I  say  that 
America  abandons  its  neutrality  when  it  helps  the 
Allies  to  continue  the  war." 

"  I  don't  think  you  will  find,"  Pamela  replied, 
"  that  international  law  prevents  any  neutral  coun- 
try from  supplying  either  combatant  with  munitions. 
If  one  country  can  fetch  the  things  and  the  other 
can't,  that  is  the  misfortune  of  the  country  that 
can't.  For  one  moment  look  at  the  matter  from 
England's  point  of  view.  She  has  built  up  a  mighty 
navy  to  keep  the  seas  clear  for  exactly  this  purpose 
—  to  continue  her  commerce  from  abroad.  Ger- 
many instead  has  built  up  a  mighty  army,  with 
which  she  has  overrun  Europe.  Germany  has  had 
the  advantage  from  her  army.  Why  shouldn't  Eng- 
land have  the  advantage  from  her  navy?  " 

"  Let  me  ask  you  the  question  you  asked  me  a 
few  minutes  ago,"  her  companion  begged.  "  Were 
you  born  in  America  —  or  England?  " 

"  I  was  born  in  America,"  Pamela  told  him ;  "  so 
were  my  parents  and  my  grandparents.  I  claim 
to  be  American  to  the  backbone.  I  claim  even  to 
treat  any  sympathies  I  might  have  in  this  affair  as 


66  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

prejudices,  and  not  even  to  allow  them  a  single  cor- 
ner in  my  brain." 

Mr.  Fischer  sat  quite  still  for  several  moments. 
He  was  struggling  very  hard  to  keep  his  temper. 
In  the  end  he  succeeded. 

"  We  will  not,  then,  pursue  the  subject  of  Amer- 
ica's neutrality,"  he  said,  "  because  it  is  obvious 
that  we  disagree  fundamentally.  But  tell  me  this, 
now,  as  an  American  and  a  patriot.  Which  do  you 
think  would  be  better  for  America  —  That  Germany 
and  Austria  won  this  war,  or  the  Allies  ?  " 

"  Upon  that  question  I  have  not  altogether  made 
up  my  mind,"  Pamela  confessed. 

"  Then  there  is  room  there  for  a  discussion,"  Mr. 
Fischer  pointed  out  eagerly.  "  I  should  like  to  put 
my  views  before  you  on  this  matter." 

"  And  I  should  love  to  hear  them,"  Pamela  re- 
plied, "  but  I  feel  just  now  as  though  we  had  talked 
enough  politics.  Do  you  know  that  I  came  up  on 
deck  in  a  state  of  great  agitation?  " 

"  Submarine  alarms  from  the  stewardess?  "  Mr. 
Fischer  suggested. 

"  I  am  not  afraid  of  submarines,  but  I  have  a  most 
profound  dislike  for  thieves,"  Pamela  declared. 

"  You  have  not  had  anything  stolen  ?  "  he  asked 
quickly. 

"  I  have  not,"  Pamela  replied,  "  but  the  only 
reason  seems  to  be  that  I  have  nothing  worth  steal- 
ing. When  I  got  back  from  luncheon  this  afternoon 
I  found  that  my  stateroom  had  been  systematically 
searched." 

She  turned  her  head  a  little  lazily  and  looked  at 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  67 

her  neighbour.  His  expression  was  entirely  »ym- 
pathetic. 

"Your  jewellery?" 

"  Deposited  with  the  purser." 

"  I  congratulate  you,"  he  said. 

"  Nothing  has  been  stolen,"  she  observed,  4*  but 
one  hates  the  feeling  of  insecurity,  all  the  same. 
Both  my  steward  and  stewardess  are  old  friends. 
It  must  have  been  a  very  clever  person  who  found 
his  way  into  my  room." 

"  A  very  clever  person,"  Mr.  Fischer  objected, 
"  would  have  known  that  you  had  deposited  your 
jewels  with  the  purser." 

"  If  it  was  my  jewels  of  which  they  were  in 
search,"  Pamela  murmured.  "  By  the  bye,  do  you 
remember  all  that  fuss  about  the  disappearance  of  a 
young  soldier  that  morning  at  Henry's?  " 

Fischer  nodded. 

"  I  heard  something  about  it,"  he  confessed. 
"  They  were  talking  about  it  at  dinner-time." 

"  I  had  an  idea  that  you  might  be  interested," 
Pamela  went  on.  "  He  was  rather  a  foolish  young 
man.  He  came  into  the  restaurant  telling  every  one 
at  the  top  of  his  voice  that  he  had  made  a  great 
discovery !  Even  in  London,  which  is,  I  should 
think,  the  most  prosaic  city  in  the  world,  there  must 
be  people  who  are  on  the  lookout  to  pick  up  war 
secrets." 

"  Even  in  London,  as  you  remark,"  Fischer  as- 
sented. 

"  You  didn't  hear  the  end  of  the  affair,  I  sup- 
pose? "  she  asked  him. 


68  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

The  steward  had  arrived  with  afternoon  tea. 
Fischer  threw  into  the  sea  the  cigar  which  he  had 
been  smoking. 

"  I  do  not  think,"  he  said,  "  that  the  end  has  been 
reached  yet." 

Pamela  sighed. 

"  Les  oreilles  ennemies  !  "  she  quoted.  "  I  »uppo»e 
one  has  to  be  careful  everywhere." 


CHAPTER  VIII 

It  was  one  evening  towards  the  end  of  the  voyage, 
and  about  an  hour  after  dinner.  A  huge  form 
loomed  out  of  the  darkness,  continuing  its  steady 
promenade  along  the  unlit  portion  of  the  deck. 
Pamela,  moved  by  some  caprice,  abandoned  her  cau- 
tion of  the  last  few  days  and  called  out. 

"Mr.  Fischer!" 

He  stopped  short.  The  sparks  flew  from  the  red 
end  of  his  cigar,  which  he  tossed  into  the  sea.  He 
hastened  towards  her. 

"  Miss  Van  Teyl  ?  "  he  replied,  a  little  hesitatingly. 

"  How  clever  of  you  to  know  my  voice ! "  she 
observed.  "  I  am  in  the  humour  to  talk.  Will  you 
sit  down,  please?  " 

Mr.  Fischer  humbly  drew  a  chair  to  her  side. 

"  I  had  an  idea,"  he  said,  "  that  you  had  been 
avoiding  me  the  last  two  or  three  days." 

"  I  have,"  she  admitted. 

"  Have  I  offended  you,  then  ?  " 

"  Scarcely  that,"  she  replied,  "  only,  you  see,  it 
seemed  waste  of  time  to  talk  to  you  with  the  foils 
on,  and  a  little  dangerous,  perhaps,  to  talk  to  you 
with  them  off." 

His  face  reflected  his  admiration. 

"  Miss  Van  Teyl,"  he  declared,  "  you  are  quite  a 
wonderful  person.  I  have  never  believed  very  much 


70  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

in  women  before.  Perhaps  that  is  the  reason  why 
I  have  never  married." 

"  Dear  me,  are  you  a  woman-hater  ?  "  she  asked. 

He  looked  at  her  steadfastly. 

"  I  have  made  use  of  women  as  playthings,"  he 
confessed.  "  Until  I  met  you  I  never  thought  of 
them  as  companions,  as  partners." 

She  laughed  at  him  through  the  darkness,  and  at 
the  sound  of  her  laugh  his  eyes  glowed. 

"  Really,  I  am  very  much  flattered,"  she  said. 
"You  give  me  credit  for  intelligence,  then?" 

"  I  give  you  credit  for  every  gift  a  woman  should 
have,"  he  answered  enthusiastically.  "  I  recognise 
in  you  the  woman  I  have  sometimes  dreamed  of." 

Again  she  laughed. 

"  Don't  tell  me,  Mr.  Fischer,"  she  protested,  "  that 
ever  in  your  practical  life  you  have  spent  a  single 
moment  in  dreams  ?  " 

"  I  have  spent  many,"  he  assured  her,  "  but  they 
have  all  been  since  I  knew  you." 

Pamela  sighed. 

"  I  have  never  been  through  a  voyage,"  she  ob- 
served, "  without  a  love  affair.  Still,  I  never  sus- 
pected you,  Mr.  Fischer." 

"  You  suspected  me,  perhaps,  of  other  things." 

She  nodded. 

"  I  am  full  of  suspicions  about  you,"  she  admitted. 
"  I  am  not  going  to  tell  you  what  they  are,  of 
course." 

"  There  is  one  thing  of  which  I  am  guilty,"  he 
confessed.  "  I  should  like  to  tell  you  about  it  right 
now." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  71 

"Could  I  guess  it?" 

"  You're  clever  enough." 

"You  like  me,  don't  you,  Mr.  Fischer?" 

"  Beter  than  any  woman  in  the  world,"  he  an- 
swered promptly.  "  And  my  confession  is  —  well, 
just  that.  Will  you  marry  me?  " 

Pamela  shook  her  head. 

"  Quite  early  in  life,"  she  confided,  "  I  made  up  my 
mind  that  I  would  never  give  a  definite  answer  to  any 
one  who  proposed  to  me  on  a  steamer.  I  suppose  it's 
the  wind,  or  is  it  the  stars,  or  the  silence,  or  what? 
I  have  known  the  sanest  of  men,  even  like  you,  Mr. 
Fischer,  become  quite  maudlin." 

"  I  am  brimful  of  common  sense  at  the  present 
moment,"  he  declared  earnestly.  "  You  and  I  could 
do  great  things  together,  if  only  I  could  get  you  to 
look  at  one  certain  matter  from  my  point  of  view; 
to  see  it  as  I  see  it." 

"A  political  matter?"  she  inquired  naively. 

"  I  want  to  try  and  persuade  you,"  he  confessed, 
"  that  America  has  everything  in  the  world  to  gain 
from  Germany's  success,  and  everything  to  lose  if 
the  Allies  should  triumph  in  this  war  and  Great 
Britain  should  continue  her  tyranny  of  the 
seas." 

"  It's  an  extraordinarily  interesting  subject," 
Pamela  admitted. 

"  It  is  almost  as  absorbing,"  he  declared,  "  as  the 
other  matter  which  just  now  lies  even  nearer  to  my 
heart." 

She  withdrew  her  fingers  from  his  sudden  clutch. 

"  Mr.  Fischer,"  she  told  him,  "  what  I  said  just 


7*  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

now  was  quite  final.  I  will  not  be  made  love  to  on  a 
steamer." 

"  When  we  land,"  he  continued  eagerly,  "  you  will 
be  coming  to  see  your  brother,  won't  you?  " 

She  nodded. 

"  Of  course !  I  am  coming  to  the  Plaza  Hotel. 
That,  I  suppose,  is  good  news  for  you,  Mr.  Fischer." 

"  Of  course  it  is,"  he  answered,  "  but  why  do  you 
say  so?  " 

"  It  will  give  you  so  many  opportunities,"  she 
murmured. 

"  Of  seeing  you?  " 

She  shook  her  head. 

"  Of  searching  my  belongings." 

There  was  a  moment's  silence.  She  heard  his 
quick  breath  through  the  darkness.  His  voice  as- 
sumed its  harsher  tone. 

"  You  believe  that  it  was  I  who  searched  your 
stateroom?  " 

"  I  am  sure  that  it  was  you,  or  some  one  acting  for 
you." 

"  What  is  it,  then,  of  which  I  am  in  search  ?  "  he 
demanded. 

"  Captain  Graham's  formula,"  she  replied.  "*I 
think  you  want  that  a  good  deal  more  than  you 
want  me." 

"  You  have  it  then  ?  "  he  asked  fiercely. 

She  sighed. 

"  You  jump  so  to  conclusions.  I  didn't  say 
so." 

"  You  went  up  the  stairs  .  .  .  you  were  the  only 
person  who  went  up  just  at  that  one  psychological 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  73 

moment!  He  had  his  pocketbook  with  him  when  he 
came  in  —  he  told  Holderness  so." 

"  And  when  you  searched  him  it  was  gone,"  she 
remarked  calmly.  "  Dear  me !  " 

"  How  do  you  know  that  I  searched  him  ?  "  Fischer 
demanded. 

"  How  dare  you  ask  me  to  give  away  my  secrets  ?  " 
she  replied. 

"  Listen,"  he  began,  striving  with  an  almost  pain- 
ful effort  to  keep  his  voice  down  to  the  level  of  a 
whisper,  "  you  and  I  together,  we  could  do  the  most 
marvellous  things.  I  could  let  you  into  all  my 
schemes.  They  are  great.  They  will  be  successful. 
After  the  war  is  over — " 

He  held  his  breath  for  a  moment.  The  tramp  of 
approaching  footsteps  warned  him  of  the  coming  of 
an  intruder.  The  Captain  came  to  a  standstill  be- 
fore their  chairs  and  saluted. 

"  Miss  Van  Teyl,"  he  said,  "  there  will  be  a  mutiny 
in  the  saloon  if  you  don't  come  down  and  sing." 

She  almost  sprang  to  her  feet.  The  ship  was  roll- 
ing a  little,  and  she  laid  her  fingers  upon  his  arm. 

"  I  meant  to  come  long  ago,"  she  declared,  "  but 
Mr.  Fischer  has  been  so  interesting.  You  will  finish 
telling  me  your  experiences  another  time,  won't 
you?  "  she  called  out  over  her  shoulder.  "  There  is 
so  much  that  I  still  want  to  hear." 

Fischer's  reply  was  almost  ungracious.  He 
watched  their  departure  in  silence,  and  afterwards 
leaned  further  back  in  his  chair.  With  long,  nerv- 
ous fingers  he  drew  a  black  cigar  from  his  case  and 
lit  it.  Then  he  folded  his  arms.  For  more  than 


74  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

half  an  hour  he  sat  there  motionless,  smoking  furi- 
ously. He  looked  out  into  the  chaos  of  the  windy 
darkness,  he  heard  voices  riding  upon  the  seas, 
shrieking  and  calling  to  him,  voices  to  which  he  had 
been  deaf  too  long.  The  burden  of  these  later  years 
of  turbulent,  brazen,  selfish  struggling,  rolled  back. 
He  had  been  a  sentimentalist  once,  a  willing  seeker 
after  things  which  seemed  to  have  passed  him  by. 
At  his  age,  he  told  himself,  a  man  should  still  find 
more  than  one  place  in  the  world. 


CHAPTER  IX 

James  Van  Teyl  glanced  curiously  at  the  small, 
dark  figure  standing  patiently  before  him,  and  then 
back  again  at  the  wireless  cable  which  he  held  in  his 
fingers.  He  was  just  back  from  a  tiring  day  in  Wall 
Street,  and  was  reclining  in  the  most  comfortable 
easy-chair  of  his  Hotel  Plaza  sitting-room. 

"  Gee !  "  he  murmured.  *'  This  beats  me.  The 
last  thing  I  should  have  thought  we  wanted  here 
was  a  valet.  The  fellow  who  looks  after  this  suite 
has  scarcely  anything  else  to  do.  What  did  you 
say  your  name  was?  " 

"Nikasti,  sir." 

Van  Teyl  carefully  reconsidered  the  cable.  It 
certainly  seemed  to  leave  no  room  for  misunder- 
standing. 

Please  engage  for  our  service,  as  valet,  Nikasti. 
See  that  he  enters  on  his  duties  at  once.  Hope 
land  this  evening.  Your  sister  on  board  sends 
love. — F. 

"  Well  that  seems  clear  enough,"  the  young  man 
muttered,  thrusting  the  form  into  his  waistcoat 
pocket.  "  You're  here  to  stay,  I  guess,  Nikasti?  I 
see  you've  brought  your  kit  along." 

"  In  case  you  decided  to  engage  me,  sir,"  the  man 
replied. 

"  Oh,  you  are  engaged  right  enough,"  Van  Teyl 


76  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

assured  him.  "  You'd  better  make  the  best  job  you 
can  of  putting  out  my  evening  clothes.  If  you 
ring  for  the  floor  valet,  he'll  help  you.  The  bed- 
rooms are  through  that  door." 

"  Very  good,  sir !  " 

"  I  am  going  down  to  the  barber's  now,"  Van 
Teyl  continued,  rising  to  his  feet.  "  Just  remember 
this,  Nikasti  —  what  a  name,  by  the  bye !  " 

"  I  could  be  called  Kato,"  the  man  suggested. 

"  Kato  for  me  all  the  time,"  his  prospective  em- 
ployer agreed.  "  Well,  listen.  My  sister,  Miss  Van 
Teyl,  arrives  from  Europe  on  the  Lapland  this  even- 
ing. If  she  comes  in  or  rings  up,  say  I'm  here  and 
I  want  to  see  her  at  once.  You  understand?  " 

"  I  understand,  sir." 

Van  Teyl  strolled  out,  and  Kato  disappeared  into 
the  inner  room.  The  floor  valet,  dressed  in  the  dark 
blue  livery  of  the  hotel,  was  already  laying  out  his 
master's  dinner  clothes.  He  eyed  the  intruder  a 
little  truculently. 

"  Who  are  you,  anyway  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  My  name  is  Nikasti,"  was  the  quiet  reply. 
"  Mr.  Van  Teyl  has  engaged  me  as  his  valet,  to  wait 
upon  him  and  Mr.  Fischer." 

The  man  laid  down  the  shirt  into  which  he  was 
fixing  the  studs. 

"  That's     some     news,"    he     remarked    bitterly. 

"  To  wait  on  Mr.  Van  Teyl  and  Mr.  Fischer,  eh  ? 
What  the  hell  do  they  want  you  for?  " 

Nikasti  shook  his  head  slowly.  He  was  very 
small,  and  his  dark  eyes  seemed  filled  with 
melancholy. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  77 

"  It  is  not  for  a  very  long  time,"  he  ventured. 

"  Long  enough  to  do  me  out  of  my  five  dollars'  tip 
every  week,"  the  man  grumbled.  "  I'm  a  married 
man,  too,  and  a  good  American.  Blast  you  fellows, 
coming  and  taking  our  j  obs  away !  Can't  think 
what  they  let  you  into  the  country  for." 

"  I  am  sorry,"  Nikasti  murmured. 

"  Your  sorrow  don't  bring  me  in  my  five  dollars," 
the  valet  retorted  bitterly.  "  There's  only  two 
suites  on  this  floor  to  work  for,  anyway,  and  this  is 
the  only  one  worth  a  cent." 

"  I  am  taking  the  situation,"  the  other  explained, 
"  for  the  sake  of  experience.  I  do  not  wish  to  rob 
you  of  your  earnings.  I  will  pay  you  the  five  dollars 
a  week  while  I  stay  here.  You  shall  help  me  with 
the  work." 

"  That's  a  deal,  my  little  yellow-skinned  kid,"  the 
valet  agreed  in  a  tone  of  relief.  "  I'll  show  you 
where  the  things  are  kept." 

His  new  coadjutor  bowed. 

"  The  telephone  is  ringing  in  the  master's  room," 
he  observed.  "  You  shall  remain  here,  and  I  will 
answer  it." 

"  That  goes,  Jappy,"  the  man  acquiesced.  "  If 
it's  a  young  lady  take  her  name,  but  don't  say  that 
Mr.  Van  Teyl's  about.  Forward  young  baggages 
some  of  them  are." 

Nikasti  glided  from  the  room,  closed  the  door, 
and  approached  the  telephone  receiver. 

"  Yes,"  he  acknowledged,  "  these  are  the  rooms  of 
Mr.  Van  Teyl.  .  .  .  No,  madam,  Mr.  Van  Teyl 
is  not  in  at  present." 


78  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

There  was  a  moment's  pause.  Nikasti's  face  was 
impenetrable  as  he  listened,  but  his  eyes  glowed. 

"  Yes,  I  understand,  madam,"  he  said  softly. 
**  You  are  Miss  Van  Teyl,  and  you  wish  to  speak  to 
your  brother.  The  moment  Mr.  Van  Teyl  returns 
I  will  ring  you  up  or  fetch  you." 

He  replaced  the  receiver  upon  its  hook,  and  re- 
turned to  the  bedroom.  For  some  little  time  he  was 
initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  his  new  master's  studs, 
boots  and  shoes,  and  general  taste  in  wearing  ap- 
parel. Then  the  latter  entered  the  sitting-room, 
and  Nikasti  obeyed  his  summons. 

"  Any  one  called  me  up  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  No  one,  sir." 

Van  Teyl  glanced  at  the  clock  in  an  undecided 
manner. 

"  I'll  change  right  away,"  he  decided.  •"  Just  set 
things  to  rights  in  here,  fill  my  cigarette  case,  and 
hang  round  by  the  telephone." 

Nikasti  bowed,  and  the  young  man  disappeared 
into  the  inner  room.  His  new  attendant  waited 
until  the  door  was  closed.  Then  he  removed  the 
receiver  from  its  hook,  laid  it  upon  the  table,  and 
moved  stealthily  towards  the  open  fireplace.  For 
several  moments  he  remained  in  an  attitude  of 
listening,  then  with  quick,  lithe  fingers  he  drew  from 
his  pocket  a  cable  dispatch,  reread  it  with  an  air 
of  complete  absorption,  and  committed  it  to  the 
flames.  He  watched  it  burn,  and  turned  away  from 
the  contemplation  of  its  grey  ashes  with  a  sigh  of 
content.  Suddenly  he  started.  The  door  of  the 
sitting-room  had  been  opened  and  closed.  A  tall, 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  79 

broad-shouldered  man,  wearing  gold-rimmed  spec- 
tacles, a  long  travelling  coat  and  a  Homburg  hat, 
was  standing  watching  him.  Nikasti  was  only  mo- 
mentarily disturbed.  His  look  of  gentle  inquiry  was 
perfect. 

"  You  wish  to  see  my  master  —  Mr.  Van  Teyl?  " 
he  asked. 

"  Where  is  he  ?  "  Fischer  demanded. 

"  He  is  dressing  in  the  next  apartment.  I  will 
take  him  your  name." 

Fischer  threw  his  coat  and  hat  upon  the  table. 

"That'll  do  directly,"  he  replied.  "So  you're 
Nikasti?  " 

They  looked  at  one  another  for  a  moment.  The 
face  of  the  Japanese  was  smooth,  bland,  and  im- 
perturbable. His  eyes  were  innocent  even  of  any 
question.  Fischer's  forehead  was  wrinkled,  and  his 
brows  drawn  close  together. 

"  I  am  Nikasti,"  the  other  acknowledged  — "  Kato 
Nikasti.  Mr.  Van  Teyl  has  just  engaged  me  as  his 
valet." 

"  You  can  take  off  the  gloves,"  Fischer  told  him. 
"  I  am  Oscar  Fischer." 

"  Oscar  Fischer,"  Nikasti  repeated. 

"  Yes !  .  .  .  Burning  something  when  I  came  in, 
weren't  you  ?  Looked  like  a  cable,  eh  ?  " 

"  A  dispatch  from  London,"  Nikasti  confided. 

"  Nothing  that  would  interest  me,  eh?  " 

"  It  was  a  family  message,"  was  the  calm  response. 
"  It  did  not  concern  the  affair  which  is  between  us." 

"  How  came  you  to  speak  English  like  this  ?  " 
Fischer  inquired. 


80  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  I  was  at  Oxford  University  for  two  years," 
Nikasti  told  him,  "  and  in  the  Embassy  at  London 
for  five  more." 

"  Before  you  took  up  your  present  job,  eh?  " 

Nikasti  assented  silently.  Fischer  glanced  around 
as  though  to  make  sure  that  they  were  still  alone. 

"  I  have  the  communication  with  me,"  he  an- 
nounced, "  which  we  are  to  discuss.  The  terms  of 
our  proposal  are  clearly  set  out,  and  they  are  signed 
by  the  Highest  of  all  himself.  The  letter  embodying 
them  was  handed  to  me  three  weeks  ago  to-day  in 
Berlin.  Have  you  been  to  Washington?" 

Nikasti  shook  his  head. 

"  I  do  not  go  to  Washington,"  he  said.  "  You 
will  understand  that  diplomatically,  as  you  would 
put  it,  I  do  not  exist.  Neither  is  it  necessary.  I 
am  here  to  listen." 

Fischer  nodded. 

"  There  need  be  very  little  delay,  then,"  he  ob- 
served, "  before  we  get  to  work." 

Nikasti  bowed  and  raised  his  forefinger  in  warning. 

"  I  think,"  he  whispered,  "  that  Mr.  Van  Teyl  has 
finished  dressing. 


CHAPTER  X 

Van  Teyl,  as  he  hastened  forward  to  meet  his 
friend,  presented  at  first  sight  a  very  good  type  of 
the  well-groomed,  athletic  young  American.  He 
was  over  six  feet  tall,  with  smooth,  dark  hair  brushed 
back  from  his  forehead,  a  strong,  clean-shaven  face 
and  good  features.  Only,  as  he  drew  nearer,  there 
was  evident  a  slight,  unnatural  quivering  at  the 
corner  of  his  lips.  The  cordiality  of  his  greeting, 
too,  was  a  little  overdone. 

"  Welcome  home,  Fischer !  Why,  man,  you're 
looking  fine.  Had  a  pleasant  voyage  ?  " 

"  Storms  for  the  first  few  days  —  after  that  all 
right,"  Fischer  replied. 

"  Any  submarines  ?  " 

"  Not  a  sight  of  one.     Seen  your  sister  yet  ?  " 

"  Not  yet.  I've  been  waiting  about  for  a  tele- 
phone message.  She  hadn't  arrived,  a  few  minutes 
ago." 

Fischer  frowned. 

"  I  want  us  three  to  meet  —  you  and  she  and  I  — 
the  first  moment  she  sets  foot  in  the  hotel,"  he  de- 
clared. 

"What's  the  hurry?"  Van  Teyl  demanded. 
"  You  must  have  seen  plenty  of  her  the  last  ten 
days." 


8a  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  That,"  Fischer  insisted,  "  was  a  different  mat- 
ter. See  here,  Jimmy,  I'll  be  frank  with  you." 

He  walked  to  the  door  of  the  bedroom,  opened  it, 
and  looked  inside.  Its  sole  occupant  was  Nikasti, 
who  was  at  the  far  end,  putting  away  some  clothes. 
Fischer  closed  the  door  firmly  and  returned. 

"  I  want  you  to  understand  this,  James,"  he  be- 
gan. "  Your  sister  is  meddling  in  certain  things 
she'd  best  leave  alone." 

Van  Teyl  lit  a  cigarette. 

"  No  use  talking  to  me,"  he  observed.  "  Pamela's 
her  own  mistress,  and  she's  gone  her  own  way  ever 
since  she  came  of  age." 

"  She's  got  to  quit,"  Fischer  pronounced. 
"  That's  all  there  is  about  it.  You  and  I  will  have 
to  talk  this  out.  Where  are  you  dining?  " 

"  Downstairs,"  Van  Teyl  replied  gloomily.  "  I 
was  thinking  of  waiting  for  Pamela." 

"  You  leave  word  to  have  your  people  let  you  know 
directly  she  arrives,"  Fischer  advised,  "  and  come 
along  with  me." 

Van  Teyl  allowed  himself  to  be  led  towards  the 
door.  Nikasti,  with  a  due  sense  of  his  new  duties, 
glided  past  them,  rang  for  the  lift,  and  watched  them 
descend.  Fischer  turned  at  once  towards  the  dining 
room. 

"  Thank  God  we're  in  a  civilised  country,"  he 
observed,  "  and  that  I  don't  have  to  change  when  I 
don't  want  to !  " 

They  found  a  quiet  table,  and  Fischer,  displaying 
much  interest  in  the  menu,  ordered  a  somewhat  ex- 
tensive dinner. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  8« 

**  Grapefruit  and  Maryland  chicken  are  worth 
coming  back  to,"  he  declared.  "  Now  see  here, 
James,  let's  get  to  business.  You've  got  to  help  me 
with  your  sister." 

"  But  how?  "  Van  Teyl  demanded.  "  Pamela  and 
I  are  good  pals,  of  course,  but  she  has  a  will  of  her 
own  in  all  she  does,  and  I  don't  fancy  that  anything 
I  could  say  would  influence  her  very  much." 

"  There  are  two  things  about  your  sister,"  Fischer 
continued.  "  The  first  is  that  she's  got  to  quit  this 
.secret  service  business  she's  got  herself  mixed  up  in." 

"  Don't  talk  nonsense ! "  Van  Teyl  exclaimed. 
**  Pamela  doesn't  care  a  fig  about  politics." 

Fischer  grunted  scornfully. 

"  You  don't  know  much  about  your  sister,  young 
fellow,"  he  said.  *'  Internal  politics  over  here  may 
not  interest  her  a  cent,  but  she's  crazy  about  Amer- 
ica as  a  country,  and  she's  shrewd  enough  to  see 
things  coming  that  a  great  many  of  you  over  here 
aren't  looking  for.  Anyway,  she  came  bang  up 
against  me  in  a  little  scheme  I  had  on  the  night  be- 
fore I  left  Europe,  and  somewhere  about  her  she's 
got  concealed  a  document  which  I'd  gladly  buy  for 
a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars." 

Van  Teyl  drank  off  his  second  cocktail. 

"  Some  money ! "  he  observed.  "  How  did  she 
come  by  the  prize?  " 

"  Played  up  for  it,  just  as  I  did,"  Fischer  replied. 
"  She  was  clever  enough  to  make  use  of  my  scaffold- 
ing, and  got  up  the  ladder  first.  I'm  not  squealing, 
but  I've  got  to  have  that  document,  whatever  it  cost* 
me." 


84  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Van  Teyl  was  silent  for  a  moment.  There  wag 
an  undercurrent  of  something  threatening  in  his 
companion's  manner,  of  which  he  had  taken  note. 

"  And  the  second  thing  you  mentioned  ?  "  he  asked. 
«  What  is  that?" 

Fischer,  as  though  to  give  due  emphasis  to  his 
statement,  indulged  in  a  brief  pause.  Then  he 
leaned  a  little  forward  and  spoke  very  slowly  and 
very  forcibly. 

"  I  want  to  marry  her,"  he  declared. 

Van  Teyl  learned  back  in  his  chair  and  gazed  at 
his  vis-a-vis  in  blank  astonishment. 

"  You  must  be  a  damned  fool,  Fischer !  "  he  ex- 
claimed. 

"You  think  so?"  was  the  unruffled  reply.  "I 
wonder  why  ?  " 

"  I'll  tell  you  why,  if  you  want  to  know,"  Van 
Teyl  continued  bluntly.  "  I  know  of  four  of  the 
richest  and  best-looking  young  men  in  America,  two 
ambassadors,  an  English  peer,  and  an  Italian  prince, 
who  have  proposed  to  Pamela  during  the  last  twelve 
months  alone.  She  refused  every  one  of  them." 

"  Well,"  Fischer  remarked,  "  she  must  marry  some 
time." 

Van  Teyl  looked  at  him  insolently. 

"  I  shouldn't  think  you'd  have  a  dog's  chance, **  he 
pronounced. 

There  was  a  little  glitter  behind  Fischer's  spec- 
tacles. 

"  Up  till  now,"  he  admitted  smoothly,  "  I  hare 
not  been  fortunate.  I  must  confess,  however,  that  I 
was  hoping  for  your  good  offices." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  85 

"  Pamela  wouldn't  take  the  slightest  notice  of  any- 
thing I  might  say,"  Van  Teyl  declared.  "  Besides, 
I  should  hate  you  to  marry  her." 

"  A  little  blunt,  are  you  not,  my  young  friend?  " 
Fischer  remarked  amiably.  "  Still,  to  continue, 
there  is  also  the  matter  of  that  document.  I  must 
confess  that  I  exercised  all  my  ingenuity  to  obtain 
possession  of  it  on  the  steamer." 

"  You  would !  "  Van  Teyl  muttered. 

"  Your  sister,  however,"  Fischer  continued,  "  was 
wise  enough  to  have  it  locked  up  in  the  purser's  safe 
the  moment  she  set  foot  upon  the  steamer.  She 
gave  me  the  slip  when  she  got  it  back,  and  eluded 
me,  somehow,  on  the  quay.  She  will  scarcely  have 
had  time  to  part  with  it  yet,  though.  When  she 
arrives  here  to-night,  it  will  in  all  probability  be  in 
her  possession." 

«  Well?  "  Van  Teyl  demanded.  «  You  don't  sug- 
gest that  I  should  rob  her  of  it,  I  suppose?  " 

"Not  at  all,"  Fischer  replied.  "On  the  other 
hand,  you  might  very  well  induce  her  to  give  it  up 
voluntarily,  or  at  least  to  treat  with  me." 

"  You  don't  know  Pamela,"  was  Van  Teyl's  curt 
reply. 

"  I  know  her  sufficiently,"  Fischer  went  on,  lean- 
ing over  the  table,  "  to  believe  that  she  would  sacri- 
fice a  great  deal  to  save  her  brother  from  Sing 
Sing." 

Van  Teyl  took  the  thrust  badly.  He  started  as 
though  he  had  been  stabbed,  and  his  face  became 
almost  ghastly  in  its  pallor.  He  tossed  off  a  glass 
of  wine  hastily. 


86  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  Just  what  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  "  he  asked 
thickly. 

"  Are  you  prepared,"  Fischer  continued,  "  to  have 
me  visit  your  office  to-morrow  morning  and  examine 
my  accounts  and  securities  in  the  presence  of  your 
partners  ?  " 

"Why  not?"  Van  Teyl  faltered.  "What  the 
hell  do  you  mean?  " 

"  I  mean,  James  Van  Teyl,"  his  companion  de- 
clared, "  that  I  should  find  you  a  matter  of  a  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars  short.  I  mean  that  you've 
realised  on  some  of  my  securities,  gambled  on  your 
own  account  with  the  proceeds,  and  lost.  You  did 
this  as  regards  one  stock  at  least,  with  a  forged 
transfer,  which  I  hold." 

Van  Teyl  looked  almost  piteously  around.  Life 
seemed  suddenly  to  have  become  an  unreal  thing  -v 
the  crowds  of  well-dressed  diners,  the  gentle  splash- 
ing of  the  water  from  the  fountains  in  the  winter 
garden,  the  distant  murmuring  of  music  from  behind 
the  canopy  of  palms.  So  this  was  the  end  of  it! 
All  that  week  he  had  hoped  against  hope.  He  had 
been  told  of  a  sure  thing.  Next  week  he  had  meant 
to  have  a  great  gamble.  Everything  was  to  have 
gone  his  way,  after  all.  And  now  it  was  too  late. 
Fischer  knew,  and  Fischer  was  a  cruel  man !  .  .  . 

The  unnatural  silence  came  to  an  end.  Only 
Fischer's  voice  seemed  to  come  from  a  long  way 
off. 

"  Drink  your  wine,  James  Van  Teyl,"  he  advised, 
"  and  listen  to  me.  You've  been  under  obligations 
to  me  from  the  start.  I  meant  you  to  be.  I 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  87 

brought  a  great  business  to  your  firm,  and  I  insisted 
upon  having  you  interested.  I  had  a  motive,  as  I 
have  for  most  things  I  do.  You  are  well  placed 
socially  in  New  York,  and  I  am  not.  You  are  also 
above  suspicion,  which  I  am  not.  It  suited  me  to 
take  this  suite  in  the  Plaza,  nominally  in  our  joint 
names,  but  to  pay  the  whole  account  myself.  It 
suited  me  because  I  required  the  shelter  of  your 
social  position.  You  understand?  " 

"  I  always  understand,"  Van  Teyl  muttered. 

"  Just  so.  Only,  whereas  you  simply  thought  me 
a  snob,  I  had  in  reality  a  different  and  very  definite 
purpose.  We  come  now,  however,  to  your  present 
obligation  to  me.  I  can,  if  I  choose,  tear  up  your 
forged  transfer,  submit  to  the  loss  of  my  money,  and 
leave  you  secure.  I  shall  do  so  if  you  are  able 
to  induce  your  sister  to  hand  over  to  me  those  few 
lines  of  writing — to  which,  believe  me,  she  has  no 
earthly  right  —  and  to  accept  me  as  a  prospective 
suitor." 

Van  Teyl  was  drinking  steadily  now,  but  every 
mouthful  of  food  seemed  almost  to  choke  him.  Red- 
eyed  and  defiant,  he  faced  his  torturer. 

"  You're  talking  rot !  "  he  declared.  "  Pamela 
wouldn't  marry  you  if  you  were  the  last  man  on 
earth,  and  if  she's  got  anything  she  wants  to  keep, 
she'll  keep  it." 

"  And  see  her  brother  disgraced,"  Fischer  re- 
minded him,  "  tried  at  the  Criminal  Court  for  theft 
and  sent  to  Sing  Sing?  It's  a  good  name  in  New 
York,  yours,  you  know.  The  Van  Teyls  have  held 
up  their  heads  high  for  more  than  one  generation. 


88  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Your  sister  will  not  fancy  seeing  it  dragged  down 
into  the  mire." 

For  a  single  moment  the  young  man  seemed  about 
to  throw  himself  upon  his  companion,  Fischer,  per- 
fectly unmoved,  watched  him,  nevertheless,  like  a  cat. 

"  Better  sit  tight,"  he  enjoined.  "  Drop  it  now  or 
people  will  be  watching  us.  I  have  ordered  some  of 
the  old  brandy.  A  liqueur  or  two  will  steady  you, 
perhaps.  Afterwards  we  will  go  upstairs  and  take 
your  sister  into  our  confidence." 

Van  Teyl  nodded. 

"  Very  well,"  he  agreed  hoarsely.  "  We'll  hear 
what  Pamela  has  to  say." 


CHAPTER  XI 

Nikasti,  with  a  low  bow,  watched  the  disappear- 
ance of  the  lift  into  which  his  two  new  masters, 
James  Van  Teyl  and  Oscar  Fischer,  had  stepped. 
He  waited  until  the  indicator  registered  its  safe  ar- 
rival on  the  ground  floor.  Then  he  slowly  retraced 
his  steps  along  the  corridor,  entered  the  sitting- 
room,  and  took  up  the  telephone  receiver,  which  was 
still  lying  upon  the  table. 

"  Will  you  give  me  number  77,"  he  asked  —  "  Miss 
Van  Teyl's  suite?" 

There  was  a  moment's  silence  —  then  a  voice  at 
the  other  end  to  which  he  made  obeisance. 

"  It  is  Miss  Van  Teyl  who  speaks  ?  I  am  Mr.  Van 
Teyl's  valet.  Mr.  Van  Teyl  is  here  now  and  will  be 
glad  if  you  will  come  in." 

He  replaced  the  receiver,  listened  and  waited.  In 
a  few  moments  there  was  the  sound  of  a  light  foot- 
step outside.  The  door  was  opened  and  Pamela 
entered.  She  was  still  wearing  the  grey  tailor-made 
costume  in  which  she  had  left  the  steamer. 

"  Why,  where  is  Mr.  Van  Teyl  ?  "  she  asked,  look- 
ing around  the  room.  "  I  have  been  ringing  up  for 
the  last  ten  minutes  and  couldn't  get  any  answer.  I 
did  not  realise  that  it  was  the  next  suite." 

"  Mr.  Van  Teyl  is  close  at  hand,  madam,"  Nikaati 


go  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

replied.  "  If  you  will  kindly  be  seated,  I  will  fetch 
him." 

"  How  long  have  you  been  valet  here?  "  Pamela 
asked  curiously. 

"  For  a  few  hours  only,  madam,"  was  the  grave 
reply.  "  If  you  will  be  so  good  as  to  wait." 

He  bowed  low  and  left  the  room.  Pamela  took 
up  an  evening  paper  and  for  a  few  minutes  buried 
herself  in  its  contents.  Then  suddenly  she  held  it 
away  from  her  and  listened.  A  queer  and  un- 
accountable impulse  inspired  her  with  a  certain  mis- 
trust. There  was  no  sound  of  movement  in  the 
adjoining  bedchamber,  nor  any  sign  of  her  brother's 
presence.  She  opened  the  door  and  peered  in.  It 
was  empty  and  in  darkness.  Then,  moved  by  that 
same  unaccountable  impulse,  she  crossed  the  room 
and  listened  at  the  door  which  led  into  her  own 
suite,  and  which  she  perceived  was  bolted  on  this 
side  as  well  as  her  own.  She  listened  at  first  idly, 
afterwards  breathlessly.  In  a  few  moments  she  was 
convinced  that  her  senses  were  not  playing  her  false. 
Some  one  was  moving  stealthily  about  in  her  room, 
the  key  to  which  was  even  at  that  moment  in 
her  hand.  She  hastened  to  the  door,  to  be  con- 
fronted by  another  surprise.  The  handle  turned 
but  the  door  refused  to  open.  She  was  locked 
in. 

Pamela  was  both  generous  and  insistent  in  the 
matter  of  bells.  She  found  four,  and  she  rang  them 
all  together.  The  consequences  were  speedy,  and 
in  their  way  satisfactory.  Nikasti  himself,  a  breath- 
less chambermaid,  a  hurt  but  dignified  waiter,  and 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  91 

the  floor  valet,  who  had  not  even  stopped  to  put  on 
his  coat,  entered  together.  They  seemed  a  little 
stupefied  at  finding  Pamela  alone  and  no  sign  of 
any  disturbance. 

"  Why  was  I  locked  in  here  ?  "  Pamela  demanded 
indignantly,  taking  them  en  bloc. 

There  was  a  little  chorus  of  non-comprehension. 
Nikasti  stepped  forward,  waved  to  the  others  to  be 
silent,  and  bowed  almost  to  the  ground. 

"  It  was  a  mistake  easily  to  be  understood, 
madam,"  he  explained.  "  The  handle  is  a  little  stiff, 
perhaps,  but  the  door  was  not  locked.  We  all 
reached  here  together,  I  myself  barely  a  yard  in 
advance.  No  key  was  used  —  and  behold !  " 

Pamela  was  disposed  to  argue,  but  a  moment's 
reflection  induced  her  to  change  her  mind.  This 
falsehood  of  Nikasti's  was  at  least  interesting.  She 
waved  the  hotel  servants  away. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  have  troubled  you,"  she  said.  "  I 
will  remember  it  when  I  pay  my  bill." 

They  took  their  leave,  Nikasti  showing  them  out. 
When  the  last  had  departed,  he  turned  back  to  the 
centre  table,  from  the  other  side  of  which  Pamela 
was  watching  him  curiously. 

"  I  cannot  imagine,"  she  remarked,  "  how  I  could 
have  made  such  a  mistake  about  the  door.  I  tried 
it  twice  or  three  times  and  it  certainly  seemed  to  me 
to  be  locked." 

Nikasti  moved  a  step  nearer  towards  her.  Some- 
thing of  the  servility  of  his  manner  had  gone.  For 
the  first  time  she  looked  at  him  closely,  appreciated 
the  tense  immobility  of  his  features,  the  still,  pene- 


y*  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

trating  light  of  his  cold  eyes.  A  queer  premonition 
of  trouble  for  a  moment  unsteadied  her. 

"  There  was  no  mistake,"  he  said  softly.  "  The 
door  was  locked." 

Even  then  she  did  not  fully  understand  the  posi- 
tion. She  leaned  a  little  towards  him. 

"It  was  locked?"  she  repeated. 

"  I  locked  it,"  he  told  her.  "  It  is  locked  now, 
securely.  I  have  been  searching  in  your  room  for 
something  which  I  did  not  find.  I  think  that  you 
had  better  give  it  to  me.  It  will  save  trouble." 

"Are  you  mad?"  she  demanded  breathlessly. 

"  Do  I  seem  so  ?  "  he  replied.  "  There  is  no  per- 
son more  sane  than  I.  I  require  from  you  the  for- 
mula of  the  new  explosive,  which  you  stole  in  Henry's 
restaurant  eleven  days  ago." 

The  sense  of  mystery  passed.  It  was  simply 
trouble  of  the  ordinary  sort  from  an  unexpected 
source. 

"  Dear  me  !  "  she  murmured.  "  Every  one  seems 
interested  in  my  little  adventure.  How  did  you  hear 
about  it?" 

"  I  destroyed  the  cable  telling  me  of  all  that  hap- 
pened only  a  few  minutes  ago,"  he  explained.  "  It 
was  the  foolish  talk  of  the  young  inventor  which 
gave  his  secret  to  the  world  to  scramble  for." 

"  It  was  very  clever  of  your  informant,"  she  re- 
marked, "  to  suggest  that  I  was  the  fortunate  thief. 
Why  not  Oscar  Fischer?  It  was  his  plot,  not  mine." 

The  eyes  of  the  little  Japanese  seemed  suddenly  to 
narrow.  He  realised  quite  well  that  she  was  talk- 
ing simply  to  gain  time. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  93 

"  Madam,"  he  insisted,  "  the  formula.  It  is  for 
my  country,  and  for  my  country  I  would  risk  much." 

"  I  do  not  doubt  it,"  she  replied ;  "  but  if  I  hold  it, 
I  hold  it  for  my  country,  too,  and  there  is  nothing 
you  would  risk  for  Japan  from  which  I  should  shrink 
for  America." 

He  laid  his  hands  upon  the  table.  She  turned  her 
ring  and  clenched  her  hand.  She  could  see  his 
spring  coming,  realised  in  those  few  seconds  that 
here  was  an  opponent  of  more  desperate  and  subtle 
calibre  than  Joseph.  Whether  her  wits  might  have 
failed  her,  fate  remained  her  friend.  There  was  a 
knock  at  the  door. 

"  You  hear  ?  "  she  cried  breathlessly.  **  There  is 
some  one  there.  Shall  I  call  out  ?  " 

His  hands  and  knee  were  gone  from  the  table.  He 
was  once  more  his  old  self,  so  completely  the  servant 
that  for  a  moment  even  Pamela  was  puzzled.  It 
seemed  as  though  the  events  of  the  last  few  seconds 
might  have  been  part  of  a  disordered  dream.  Ni- 
kasti  played  to  the  cue  of  her  fevered  question  and 
entirely  ignored  them.  He  opened  the  door  with  a 
respectful  flourish  —  and  John  Lutchester  walked 
in. 


CHAPTER  XII 

Pamela's  first  shock  of  surprise  did  not  readily 
pass.  In  the  first  place,  John  Lutchester's  appear- 
ance in  America  at  all  was  entirely  unexpected.  In 
the  second,  by  what  possible  means  could  he  have 
arrived  at  this  p'recise  and  psychological  moment? 

"  You !  "  she  exclaimed,  a  little  helplessly.  "  Mr. 
Lutchester ! " 

He  smiled  as  he  shook  hands.  Nikasti  had 
slipped  noiselessly  from  the  room.  Pamela  made  no 
effort  to  detain  him.  She  had  a  curious  feeling  that 
the  things  which  had  passed  between  them  concerned 
their  two  selves  only.  So  had  no  desire  whatever 
to  hand  him  over  to  retributive  justice. 

"  You  are  surprised,"  he  observed.  "  So  far  as 
my  presence  here  is  concerned,  I  knew  quite  well  that 
I  was  coming  some  time  ago,  but  it  was  one  of 
those  matters,  you  understand,  Miss  Van  Teyl,  that 
one  is  scarcely  at  liberty  to  talk  about.  I  am  here 
in  connection  with  rny  work." 

"  Your  work,"  she  repeated  weakly.  "  I  thought 
that  you  were  in  the  Ministry  of  Munitions  ?  " 

"  Precisely,"  he  admitted.  "  I  have  a  travelling 
inspectorship.  You  see,  I  don't  mind  telling  you 
this,  but  it  is  just  as  well,  if  you  will  forgive  my 
mentioning  it,  Miss  Van  Teyl,  that  these  things  are 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  95 

not  spoken  of  to  any  one.  My  business  over  here  is 
supposed  to  be  secret.  I  am  going  round  some  of 
the  factories  from  which  we  are  drawing  supplies." 

She  drew  a  long  breath  and  began  to  feel  a  little 
more  like  herself. 

"  Well,  after  this,"  she  declared,  "  I  shall  be  sur- 
prised at  nothing.  I  have  had  ore  shock  already 
this  evening,  and  you  are  the  second." 

"  The  first,  I  trust,  was  not  disagreeable?  " 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  Without  flattering  you,"  she  answered,  "  I  think 
I  could  say  that  I  prefer  the  second." 

"  I  had  an  idea,"  Lutchester  remarked  diffidently, 
"  that  my  arrival  seemed  either  opportune  or  in- 
opportune —  I  could  not  quite  tell  which.  Were 
you  in  any  way  troubled  or  embarrassed  by  the  pres- 
ence of  the  little  Japanese  gentleman?  " 

"  Of  course  not,"  she  replied.  "  Why,  he  is 
Jimmy's  valet." 

"How  absurd  of  me!"  Lutchester  murmured. 
"  By  the  bye,  if  Jimmy  is  your  brother  —  Mr.  Van 
Teyl  —  I  have  a  letter  to  him  from  a  pal  in  town  — 
Dicky  Green.  It  was  to  present  it  that  I  found  my 
way  up  here  this  evening.  I  was  told  that  he 
might  put  me  in  the  way  of  a  little  golf  during  my 
spare  time  over  here." 

He  produced  the  note  and  laid  it  upon  the  table. 
Pamela  glanced  at  it  and  then  at  Lutchester.  He 
was  carefully  dressed  in  dinner  clothes,  black  tie  and 
white  waistcoat.  He  was,  as  usual,  perfectly 
groomed  and  immaculate.  He  had  what  she  could 
only  describe  to  herself  as  an  everyday  air  about 


96  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

him.  He  seemed  entirely  free  from  any  mental 
pressure  or  the  wear  and  tear  of  great  events. 

"Golf?"  she  repeated  wonderingly.  "You  ex- 
pect to  have  a  little  spare  time,  then  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  hope  so,"  Lutchester  replied.  "  One 
must  have  exercise.  By  the  bye,"  he  went  on,  "  is 
your  brother  in,  do  you  happen  to  know?  Perhaps 
it  would  be  more  convenient  if  I  came  round  in  the 
morning?  I  am  staying  in  the  hotel." 

"  Oh,  for  goodness  sake,  don't  go  away,"  she 
begged.  "  Jimmy  will  be  here  presently,  for  certain. 
To  tell  you  the  truth,  we  have  been  rather  playing 
hide-and-seek  this  evening,  but  it  hasn't  been  alto- 
gether his  fault.  Please  sit  down  over  there  —  you 
will  find  cigarettes  on  the  sideboard  —  and  talk  to 
me." 

"  Delighted,"  he  agreed,  taking  the  chair  opposite 
to  her.  "  I  suppose  you  want  to  know  what  became 
of  poor  Graham  ?  " 

A  sudden  bewilderment  appeared  in  her  face.  She 
leaned  towards  him.  Her  forehead  was  knitted,  her 
eyes  puzzled.  There  was  a  new  problem  to  be 
solved. 

"  Why,  Mr.  Lutchester,"  she  demanded,  "  how  on 
earth  did  you  get  here  ?  " 

"  Across  the  Atlantic,"  he  replied  amiably.  "  Bit 
too  far  the  other  way  round." 

"  Yes,  but  what  on  ?  "  she  persisted.  "  I  went 
straight  on  to  the  Lapland  after  we  parted  last  week, 
and  only  arrived  here  an  hour  or  so  ago.  There 
was  no  other  passenger  steamer  sailing  for  three 
days." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  97 

"  I  was  a  stowaway,"  he  told  her  confidentially  — 
"  helped  to  shovel  coals  all  the  way  over." 

"  Don't  talk  nonsense ! "  she  protested  a  little 
sharply.  "  I  dislike  mysteries.  Look  at  you !  A 
stowaway,  indeed!  Tell  me  the  truth  at  once?  " 

He  leaned  forward  in  his  chair  towards  her.  An 
ingenuous  smile  parted  his  lips.  He  had  the  air  of 
a  schoolboy  repeating  a  mischievous  secret. 

"The  fact  is,  Miss  Van  Teyl,"  he  confided,  "I 
don't  want  it  talked  about,  you  know,  but  I  had  a 
joy  ride  over." 

"A  what?" 

"A  joy  ride,"  he  repeated.  "A  cousin  of  mine 
is  in  command  of  a  destroyer,  and  she  was  under 
orders  to  sail  for  New  York.  He  hadn't  the  slight- 
est right,  really,  to  bring  a  passenger,  as  she  was 
coming  over  on  a  special  mission,  but  I  had  word 
about  the  trip  over  here,  so  I  slipped  on  board  late 
one  night  —  not  a  word  to  any  one,  you  understand 
—  and  —  well,  here  I  am.  A  more  awful  voyage," 
he  went  on  impressively,  "  you  couldn't  imagine.  I 
was  sore  all  over  within  twenty-four  hours  of  start- 
ing. There's  practically  no  deck  on  those  things, 
you  know,  for  sitting  out  or  anything  of  that  sort. 
The  British  Navy's  nowhere  for  comfort,  I  can  tell 
you.  The  biggest  liner  for  me,  going  back !  " 

Pamela  was  still  a  little  dazed.  Lutchester's 
story  did  not  sound  in  the  least  convincing.  For  the 
moment,  however,  she  accepted  his  account  of  him- 
self. 

"  Tell  me  now,"  she  begged,  "  about  Captain 
Graham?  " 


g8  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  You  haven't  heard,  then?  " 

"  I  have  heard  nothing.     How  should  I  hear?  " 

"  I  took  him  straight  back  to  my  rooms  after  we 
left  you,"  Lutchester  began.  "  He  was  in  an  awful 
state  of  nerves  and  drugs  and  drink.  Then  I  put 
him  to  bed  as  soon  as  I  could,  and  rang  up  a  pal 
of  mine  at  the  War  Office  to  take  him  in  hand." 

"  Do  you  believe,"  she  asked  curiously,  "  that  he 
had  really  been  robbed  of  his  formula?  " 

"  Those  amiable  people  who  were  interviewing  him 
in  the  chapel  seemed  to  think  so,"  Lutchester  ob- 
served. 

"  But  you!  What  do  you  think?  "  she  persisted. 
He  smiled  in  superior  fashion. 

"  I  find  it  rather  hard  to  bring  myself  to  believe 
that  any  one  would  take  the  trouble,"  he  confided. 
"  I  have  heard  it  said  in  my  department  that  there 
have  been  thirty-one  new  explosives  invented  since 
the  beginning  of  the  war.  Two  of  them  only  are  in 
use,  and  they're  not  much  better  than  the  old  stuff." 

Pamela  nodded  understandingly. 

"  All  the  same,"  she  remarked,  "  I  am  not  at  all 
sure  that  was  the  case  with  Captain  Graham's  in- 
vention. There  were  rumours  for  days  before  that 
something  wonderful  was  happening  on  Salisbury 
Plain.  They  had  to  cover  up  whole  acres  of  ground 
after  his  last  experiments,  and  a  man  who  was  down 
there  told  me  that  it  seemed  just  as  though  the  life 
had  been  sucked  out  of  it." 

**  Where  did  you  collect  all  this  information?  " 
her  visitor  inquired. 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  99 

"  One  hears  everything  in  London." 

Lutchester  was  sitting  with  his  finger-tips  pressed 
together.  For  a  moment  his  attention  seemed  fixed 
upon  them. 

"  There  are  things,"  he  said,  "  which  one  hears, 
too,  in  the  far  corners  of  the  world  —  on  the  At- 
lantic, for  instance." 

"  You  have  had  some  news  ?  "  she  interrupted. 

"  It  is  really  a  private  piece  of  information,"  he 
told  her,  "  and  it  won't  be  in  the  papers  —  not  the 
way  the  thing  happened,  anyway  —  but  I  don't  sup- 
pose there's  any  harm  in  telling  you,  as  we  were  both 
more  or  less  mixed  up  in  the  affair.  Graham  was 
shot  the  next  day,  on  his  way  up  to  Northumber- 
land." 

"  Shot?  "  she  exclaimed  incredulously. 

"  Murdered,  if  you'd  like  the  whole  thrill,"  Lut- 
chester continued.  "  Of  course,  we  didn't  get  many 
particulars  in  the  wireless,  but  we  gathered  that  he 
was  shot  by  some  one  passing  him  in  a  more  powerful 
car  on  a  lonely  stretch  of  the  Great  North  Road." 

Pamela  shuddered.  She  was  for  the  moment  pro- 
foundly impressed.  A  certain  air  of  unreality  which 
had  hung  over  the  events  of  that  night  was  suddenly 
banished.  The  whole  tragedy  rose  up  before  her 
eyes.  The  effect  of  it  was  almost  stupefying. 

"  Gave  me  quite  a  shock,"  Lutchester  confided. 
"  Somehow  or  other  I  had  never  been  able  to  take 
that  night  quite  seriously.  There  was  more  than 
a  dash  of  melodrama  in  it,  wasn't  there?  Seems 
now  as  though  those  fellows  must  have  been  in 
earnest,  though." 


ioo  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  And  as  though  Captain  Graham's  formula,"  she 
reminded  him  gravely,  "  was  the  real  thing." 

"  Whereupon,"  Lutchester  observed,  "  our  first 
interest  in  the  affair  receives  a  certain  stimulus. 
Some  one  stole  the  formula.  To  judge  from  the  be- 
haviour of  those  amiable  gentlemen  connected  with 
Henry's  Restaurant,  it  wasn't  they.  Some  one  had 
been  before  them.  Have  you  any  theories,  Miss  Van 
Teyl?" 

"  I  can  tell  you  who  has,"  she  replied.  "  Do  you 
remember  when  we  were  all  grouped  around  that 
notice  —  Mefiez-vous !  Taisez-vous  !  Les  oreilles 
ennemies  vous  ecoutent !  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  do,"  he  assented. 

"  Do  you  remember  Baron  Sunyea  making  a  re- 
mark afterwards?  He  had  been  standing  by  and 
heard  everything  Graham  said." 

"  Can't  say  that  I  do,"  Lutchester  regretted,  "  but 
I  remember  seeing  him  about  the  place." 

"  You  promise  to  say  or  do  nothing  without  my 
permission,  if  I  tell  you  something?  "  she  went  on. 

"  Naturally ! " 

"  See,  then,  how  diplomacy  or  secret  service  work, 
or  whatever  you  like  to  call  it,  can  gather  the  ends  of 
the  world  together !  Only  a  quarter  of  an  hour  ago 
that  Japanese  valet  of  my  brother's,  having  searched 
my  rooms  in  vain,  demanded  from  me  that  formula !  " 

"  From  you? "  Lutchester  gasped.  "  But  you 
haven't  got  it !  " 

**  Of  course  not.  On  the  other  hand  Sunyea 
pitched  upon  me  as  being  one  of  the  possible  thieves, 
and  cabled  his  instructions  over." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  101 

*'  Have  you  got  it  ?  "  he  asked  abruptly. 

"  If  I  had,"  she  smiled,  "  I  should  not  tell  you." 

"  But  come,"  he  expostulated,  "  the  thing's  no  use 
to  you." 

"  So  Baron  Sunyea  evidently  thought,"  she 
laughed.  "  We'll  leave  that,  if  you  don't  mind." 

Lutchester  was  still  looking  a  little  bewildered. 

"  I  had  an  idea  when  I  came  in,"  he  muttered, 
"  that  things  were  a  little  scrappy  between  you  and 
the  Japanese  gentleman." 

She  was  suddenly  serious. 

"  Now  that  I  have  told  you  the  truth,"  she  said, 
"  I  really  ought  to  thank  you.  You  certainly  seem 
to  have  a  knack  of  appearing  when  you  are  wanted." 

"  Fluke  this  time,  I'm  afraid,"  he  acknowledged, 
"  but  I  rather  like  the  suggestion.  You  ought  to 
see  a  great  deal  of  me,  Miss  Van  Teyl.  Do  you 
realise  that  I  am  a  stranger  in  New  York,  and  any 
hospitality  you  can  show  me  may  be  doubly  re- 
warded? Are  you  going  to  take  me  round  and  show 
me  the  sights  ?  " 

"  Are  you  going  to  have  any  time  for  sight-see- 
ing?  " 

"  Well,  I  hope  so.  Why  not  ?  A  fellow  can't  do 
more  than  a  certain  number  of  hours'  work  in  a 
day." 

She  looked  at  him  curiously. 

"  And  yet,"  she  murmured,  "  you  expect  to  win  the 
war!" 

"  Of  course  we  shall  win  the  war,"  he  assured  her 
confidently.  "  You  haven't  any  doubt  about  that 
yourself,  have  you,  Miss  Van  Teyl?  " 


102  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  I  don't  know,"  she  told  him  calmly. 

Lutchester  was  almost  horrified.  He  rose  to  his 
feet  and  stood  looking  down  at  his  companion. 

"  Tell  me  what  on  earth  you  mean?  "  he  demanded. 
"  We  always  win  in  the  long  run,  even  if  we  muddle 
things  about  a  little." 

"I  was  just  contrasting  in  my  mind,"  she  said 
thoughtfully,  "  some  of  the  Germans  whom  I  have 
met  since  the  war,  with  some  of  the  Englishmen. 
They  are  taking  it  very  seriously,  you  know,  Mr. 
Lutchester.  They  don't  find  time  for  luncheon 
parties  or  sight-seeing." 

"That's  just  their  way,"  he  protested.  "They 
turn  themselves  into  machines.  They  are  what  we 
used  to  call  suckers  at  school,  but  you  can  take  my 
word  for  it  that  before  next  autumn  they  will  be  on 
the  run." 

"  You  call  them  suckers,"  she  observed.  "  That's 
because  they're  always  working,  always  studying, 
always  experimenting.  Supposing  they  got  hold  of 
something  like  this  new  explosive?  " 

"  First  of  all,"  he  told  her,  "  I  don't  believe  in  it, 
and  secondly,  if  it  exists,  the  formula  isn't  in  their 
hands." 

"  Supposing  it  is  in  mine?  "  she  suggested.  "  I 
might  sell  it  to  them." 

"  I'd  trust  you  all  the  time,"  he  laughed  light- 
heartedly.  "  I  can't  see  you  giving  a  leg  up  to  the 
Huns.  .  .  .  Will  you  lunch  with  me  at  one  o'clock 
to-morrow,  please?  " 

"  Certainly  not,"  she  replied.  "  You  must  attend 
to  your  work,  whatever  it  is." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  103 

"  That's  all  very  well,"  he  grumbled,  "  but  every 
one  has  an  hour  off  for  luncheon." 

"  People  who  win  wars  don't  lunch,"  she  declared 
severely.  "  Here's  Jimmy  —  I  can  hear  his  \oice  — 
and  he's  brought  some  one  up  with  him.  I'll  —  let 
you  know  about  lunch." 

The  door  opened.  James  Van  Teyl  and  Fischer 
entered  together. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

The  first  few  seconds  after  the  entrance  of  the  two 
men  were  monopolised  by  the  greetings  of  Pamela 
with  her  brother.  Fischer  stood  a  little  in  the  back- 
ground, his  eyes  fixed  upon  Lutchester.  His  brain 
was  used  to  emergencies,  but  he  found  himself  here 
confronted  by  an  unanswerable  problem. 

"  Say,  this  is  Mr.  Lutchester,  isn't  it  ?  "  he  in- 
quired, holding  out  his  hand. 

"  The  same,"  Lutchester  assented  politely.  "  We 
met  at  Henry's  some  ten  days  ago,  didn't  we  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Lutchester  has  brought  us  a  letter  from 
Dicky  Green,  Jimmy,"  Pamela  explained,  as  she  with- 
drew from  her  brother's  arms.  "  Quite  unnecessary, 
as  it  happens,  because  I  met  him  in  London  just  be- 
fore we  sailed." 

"  Very  glad  to  meet  you,  Mr.  Lutchester,"  Jimmy 
declared,  wringing  his  hand  with  American  cor- 
diality. "Dicky's  an  old  pal  of  mine  —  one  of  the 
best.  We  graduated  in  the  same  year  from  Har- 
vard." 

Conversation  for  a  few  minutes  was  platitudinous. 
Van  Teyl,  although  he  showed  few  signs  of  his  re- 
cent excesses,  was  noisy  and  boisterous,  clutching  at 
this  brief  escape  from  a  situation  which  he  dreaded. 
Fischer  on  the  other  hand,  remained  in  the  back- 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  105 

ground,  ominously  silent,  thinking  rapidly,  specu- 
lating and  theorising  as  to  the  coincidence,  if  it  were 
coincidence,  of  finding  Lutchester  and  Pamela  to- 
gether. He  listened  to  the  former's  polite  conver- 
sation, never  once  letting  his  eyes  wander  from  his 
face.  All  his  thoughts  were  concentrated  upon  one 
problem.  The  mysterious  escape  of  Sandy  Graham, 
which  had  sent  him  flying  from  the  country,  remained 
unsolved.  Of  Pamela's  share  in  it  he  had  already 
his  suspicions.  Was  it  possible  that  Lutchester  was 
the  other  and  the  central  figure  in  that  remarkable 
rescue?  He  waited  his  opportunity,  and,  during  a 
momentary  lull  in  the  cheerful  conversation,  broke  in 
with  his  first  question. 

"  Say,  Mr.  Luffchester,  you  haven't  any  twin 
brother,  have  you?  " 

"  No  brother  at  all,"  Lutchester  admitted. 

"  Then,  how  did  you  get  over  here?  You  were  at 
Henry's  weren't  you,  on  the  night  the  Lapland 
sailed?  You  didn't  cross  with  us,  and  there's  no 
other  steamer  due  for  two  days." 

"  Then  I  can't  be  here,"  Lutchester  declared. 
"  The  thing's  impossible." 

"  Guess  you'll  have  to  explain,  if  you  want  to  save 
me  from  a  sleepless  night,"  Fischer  persisted. 

Lutchester  smiled.  He  had  the  air  of  one  enjoy- 
ing the  situation  immensely. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  "  I  have  had  to  confess  to  Miss 
Van  Teyl  here,  §o  I  may  as  well  make  a  clean  breast 
of  it  to  you.  To  every  one  else  I  meet  in  New  York, 
I  shall  say  that  I  came  over  on  the  Lapland.  I 
really  came  over  on  a  destroyer." 


io6  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Fischer's  face  seemed  to  become  more  set  and  grim 
than  ever. 

"  A  British  destroyer,"  he  muttered  to  him- 
self. 

"  It  was  kind  of  a  joy  ride,"  Lutchester  explained 
confidentially,  "  a  cousin  of  mine  who  was  in  com- 
mand came  in  to  see  me  and  say  good-by,  just  after 
I'd  received  my  orders  from  the  head  of  my  depart- 
ment to  come  out  here  on  the  next  steamer,  and  he 
smuggled  me  on  board  that  night.  Mum's  the  word, 
though,  if  you  please.  We  asked  nobody's  leave. 
It  would  have  taken  about  a  month  to  have  heard 
anything  definite  from  the  Admiralty." 

"  A  British  destroyer  come  across  the  Atlantic, 
eh?  "  Mr.  Fischer  muttered.  "  She  must  have  come 
out  on  a  special  mission,  then,  I  imagine." 

"  That  is  not  for  me  to  say,"  Lutchester  observed, 
with  stiff  reticence. 

Pamela  suddenly  and  purposely  intervened.  She 
turned  towards  Fischer. 

"  Mr.  Lutchester  brought  some  rather  curious 
news,"  she  observed.  "  He  got  it  by  wireless.  Do 
you  remember  all  the  fuss  there  was  about  the  dis- 
appearance of  Captain  Holderness'  friend  at 
Henry's?" 

"  I  heard  something  about  it,"  he  admitted  grimly. 

"  Well,  Captain  Graham  was  in  my  party,  so 
naturally  I  was  more  interested  than  any  one  else. 
To  all  appearance  he  entered  Henry's  Restaurant, 
walked  up  the  stairs,  and  disappeared  into  the  skies. 
The  place  was  ransacked  everywhere  for  him,  but 
he  never  turned  up.  Well,  the  very  next  day  he  was 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  107 

murdered  in  a  motor-car  on  his  way  to  Northumber- 
land." 

"  Incredible  !  "  Fischer  murmured. 

"  Seems  a  queer  set  out,"  Lutchester  remarked, 
"  but  it's  quite  true.  He  was  supposed  to  have  dis- 
covered a  marvellous  new  explosive,  the  formula  for 
which  had  been  stolen.  He  was  on  his  way  up  to 
Northumberland  to  make  fresh  experiments." 

"  For  myself  I  have  little  faith,"  Fischer  observed, 
"  in  any  new  explosives.  In  Germany  they  believe,  I 
understand,  that  the  limit  of  destructiveness  has  been 
attained." 

"  The  Germans  should  know,"  Lutchester  admit- 
ted carelessly.  "  I'm  afraid  they  are  still  a  good 
deal  ahead  of  us  in  most  scientific  matters.  I  will 
take  the  liberty  of  calling  some  time  to-morrow,  Miss 
Van  Teyl,  and  hope  I  shall  have  the  pleasure  of  im- 
proving my  acquaintance  with  your  brother.  Good 
night,  Mr.  Fischer." 

"Are  you  staying  in  the  hotel?"  the  latter  in- 
quired. 

"  On  the  fifteenth  floor,"  was  the  somewhat  gloomy 
reply.  "  I  shan't  be  able  to  shave  in  front  of  the 
window  without  feeling  giddy.  However,  I  suppose 
that's  America.  Good-by,  everybody." 

With  a  little  inclusive  and  farewell  bow  he  dis- 
appeared. They  heard  him  make  his  way  down  the 
corridor  and  ring  for  the  lift.  Rather  a  curious 
silence  ensued,  which  was  broken  at  last  by  Pa- 
mela. 

"  Is  that,"  she  asked,  throwing  herself  into  an 
easy-chair  and  selecting  a  cigarette,  "just  an  ordi- 


io8  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

nary  type  of  a  nice,  well-bred,  unintelligent,  self- 
sufficient  Englishman,  or  — " 

"  Or  what?  "  Fischer  asked,  with  interest. 

Pamela  watched  the  smoke  curl  from  the  end  of 
her  cigarette. 

*'  Well,  I  scarcely  know  how  to  finish,"  she  con- 
fessed, "  only  sometimes  when  I  am  talking  to  him  I 
feel  that  he  can  scarcely  be  as  big  a  fool  as  he  seems, 
and  then  I  wonder.  Jimmy,"  she  went  on,  shaking 
her  head  at  him,  "  you're  not  looking  well.  You've 
been  sitting  up  too  late  and  getting  into  bad  habits 
during  my  absence.  Open  confession,  now,  if  you 
please.  If  it's  a  girl,  I  shall  give  you  my  blessing." 

Van  Teyl  groaned  and  said  nothing.  A  forebod- 
ing of  impending  trouble  depressed  Pamela.  She 
turned  towards  Fischer  and  found  in  his  grim  face 
confirmation  of  her  fears. 

"  What  does  this  mean  ?  "  she  demanded. 

"  Your  brother  will  explain,"  Fischer  replied. 
"  It  is  better  that  he  should  tell  you  everything." 

"  Everything?  "  she  repeated.  "  What  is  there  to 
tell.  What  have  you  to  do  with  my  brother,  any- 
way ?  "  she  added  fiercely. 

"  You  must  not  look  at  me  as  though  I  were  in 
any  way  to  blame  for  what  has  happened,"  was  the 
insistent  reply.  "  On  the  contrary,  I  have  been  very 
lenient  with  your  brother.  I  am  still  prepared  to  be 
lenient  —  upon  certain  conditions." 

The  light  of  battle  was  in  Pamela's  eyes.  She 
fought  against  the  significance  of  the  man's  ominous 
words.  This  was  his  first  blow,  then,  and  directed 
against  her. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  109 

"  I  begin  to  understand,"  she  said.  "  Plea»e  go 
on.  Let  me  hear  everything." 

Van  Teyl  had  turned  to  the  sideboard.  He  mixed 
and  drank  off  a  whisky  and  soda.  Then  he  swung 
around. 

"  I'll  make  a  clean  breast  of  it  in  a  few  words, 
Pamela,"  he  promised.  "  I've  gambled  with  Fischer's 
money,  lost  it,  forged  a  transfer  of  his  certificates  to 
meet  my  liabilities,  and  I  am  in  his  power.  Pie 
could  have  me  hammered  and  chucked  into  Sing 
Sing,  if  he  wanted  to.  That's  all  there  is  about 
it." 

Pamela  stood  the  shock  well.  She  turned  to 
Fischer. 

"  How  much  of  this  are  you  responsible  for  ?  "  she 
asked. 

"  That,"  he  objected,  "  is  an  impotent  question. 
It  is  not  I  who  had  the  moulding  of  your  brother's 
character.  It  is  not  I  who  made  him  a  forger  and 
a  weakling." 

Van  Teyl's  arm  was  upraised.  An  oath  broke 
from  his  lips.  Pamela  seized  him  firmly  and  drew 
him  away. 

"  Be  quiet,  James,"  she  begged.  "  Let  us  hear 
what  Mr.  Fischer  is  going  to  do  about  it." 

"  That  depends  upon  you,"  was  the  cold  reply. 

Pamela  stood  at  the  head  of  the  table,  between 
the  two  men,  and  laughed.  Her  brother  had  sunk 
into  a  chair,  and  his  head  had  dropped  moodily  upon 
his  folded  arms.  She  looked  from  one  to  the  other 
and  a  new  sense  of  strength  inspired  her.  She  felt 
that  if  she  were  not  indeed  entirely  mistress  of  the 


no  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

situation,  jet  the  elements  of  triumph  were  there  to 
her  hand. 

"  This  is  living,  at  any  rate,"  she  declared. 
"  First  of  all  I  discover  that  jour  Japanese  servant 
is  a  spj — " 

"  Nikasti ! "  Van  Tejl  interrupted  furiously. 
"  Blast  him !  I  knew  that  there  was  something 
wrong  about  that  fellow,  Fischer." 

Fischer  frowned. 

"  What's  he  been  up  to  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  Well,  to  begin  with,"  Pamela  explained,  "  he 
searched  mj  room,  then  he  locked  me  in  here,  and 
was  proceeding  to  threaten  me  when  fortunatelj  Mr. 
Lutchester  arrived." 

"  Threaten  jou  —  what  about  ?  "  Fischer  de- 
manded. 

"  He  seemed  to  have  an  absurd  idea,"  Pamela  ex- 
plained sweetlj,  "  that  I  might  have  somewhere  con- 
cealed upon  mj  person  the  formula  which  was  stolen 
from  Captain  Graham  last  Mondaj  week  at  Henry's 
Restaurant.  It  makes  quite  a  small  world  of  it, 
doesn't  it?  " 

"  I  will  deal  with  Nikasti  for  this,"  Fischer 
promised,  "  if  it  is  true.  Meanwhile  ?  " 

"  No  sooner  have  I  got  over  that  little  shock," 
Pamela  went  on,  "  than  you  turn  up  with  this  melo- 
dramatic story,  and  an  offer  from  Mr.  Fischer,  which 
I  can  read  in  his  face.  Really,  I  feel  that  I  shall 
hear  the  buzz  of  a  cinema  machine  in  a  moment. 
How  much  do  you  owe  him,  Jimmy?  " 

"  Eighty-nine  thousand  dollars,"  the  young  man 
groaned. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  in 

"  I'll  write  you   a    cheque   to-morrow   morning," 

Pamela  promised.     "Will  that  do,  Mr.  Fischer?" 

"  It  is  the  last  thing  I  desire,"  was  the  calm  re- 


"  Really  !  Well,  perhaps  now  you  will  come  •  to 
the  point.  Perhaps  you  will  tell  me  what  it  is  that 
you  do  want?  " 

"  Stolen  property,"  Fischer  announced  deliber- 
ately —  "  stolen  property,  however,  to  which  I  have 
a  greater  right  than  you." 

She  laughed  at  him  mockingly. 

"I  think  not,  Mr.  Fischer,"  she  said.  "You 
really  don't  deserve  it,  you  know." 

"And  why  not?" 

"  Just  see  how  you  have  bungled  !  You  bait  the 
trap,  the  poor  man  walks  into  it,  and  you  allow 
another  to  forestall  you.  Not  only  that,  but  you 
actually  allow  Japan  to  come  into  the  game,  and  but 
for  Mr.  Lutchester's  appearance  we  might  both  of 
us  have  been  left  plante  la.  No,  Mr.  Fischer  !  You 
don't  deserve  the  formula,  and  you  shall  not  have 
it.  I'll  pay  my  brother's  debt  to  you  in  dollars  — 
no  other  way." 

"  Dollars,"  Mr.  Fischer  told  her  sternly,  "  will 
never  buy  the  forged  transfer.  Dollars  will  never 
keep  your  brother  out  of  the  city  police  court  or 
Sing  Sing  afterwards.  There  isn't  much  future  for 
a  young  man  who  has  been  through  it." 

Van  Teyl  was  upon  him  suddenly  with  a  low,  mur- 
derous cry.  Fischer  had  no  time  to  resist,  no  chance 
of  success  if  he  had  attempted  it.  He  was  borne 
backwards  on  to  the  lounge,  his  assailant's  hand 


ii2  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

upon  his  throat.  The  young  man  was  beside  him- 
self with  drink  and  fury.  The  words  poured  from 
his  lips,  incoherent,  hot  with  rage. 

"  You  —  hound !  You've  made  my  life  a  hell ! 
You've  plotted  and  schemed  to  get  me  into  your 
power !  .  .  .  There !  Do  you  feel  the  life  going  out 
of  you?  .  .  .  My  sister,  indeed!  You!  .  .  .  You 
scum  of  the  earth!  You  .  .  ." 

"James!" 

The  sound  of  Pamela's  voice  unnerved  him.  His 
fit  of  passion  was  spent.  She  dragged  him  easily 
away. 

"  Don't  be  a  fool,  Jimmy !  "  she  begged.  "  You 
can't  settle  accounts  like  that." 

"Can't  I?"  he  muttered.  "If  we'd  been  alone, 
Pamela  .  .  .  my  God,  if  he  and  I  had  been  alone 
here!" 

"  Jimmy,"  she  said,  "  you're  a  fool,  and  you've 
been  drinking.  Fetch  the  water  bottle." 

He  obeyed,  and  she  dashed  water  in  Fischer's 
face.  Presently  he  opened  his  eyes,  groaned  and  sat 
up.  There  were  two  livid  marks  upon  his  throat. 
Van  Teyl  watched  him  like  a  crouching  animal.  His 
eyes  were  still  lit  with  sullen  fire.  The  lust  for 
killing  was  upon  him.  Fischer  sat  up  and  blinked. 
He  felt  the  atmosphere  of  the  room,  and  he  knew 
his  danger.  His  hand  stole  into  his  hip  pocket,  and 
a  small  revolver  suddenly  flashed  upon  his  knees. 
He  drew  a  long  breath  of  relief.  He  was  like  a 
fugitive  who  had  found  sanctuary. 

"  So  that's  the  game,  James  Van  Teyl,  is  it  ?  "  he 
exclaimed.  "  Now  listen," 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  113 

He  adjusted  the  revolver  with  a  click.  His  cruel, 
long  fingers  were  pressed  around  its  stock. 

"  I  am  not  threatening  you,"  he  went  on.  "  I  am 
not  fond  of  violence,  and  I  don't  believe  in  it.  This 
is  just  in  case  you  come  a  single  yard  nearer  to  me. 
Now,  Miss  Van  Teyl,  my  business  is  with  you.  We 
won't  fence  any  longer.  You  will  hand  over  to  me 
the  pocketbook  which  you  stole  from  Captain 
Graham  in  Henry's  Restaurant.  Hand  it  over  to 
me  intact,  you  understand.  In  return  I  will  give 
you  the  forged  transfer  of  stock,  and  leave  it  to  your 
sense  of  honour  as  to  whether  you  care  to  pay  your 
brother's  debt  or  not.  If  you  decline  to  consider  my 
proposition,  I  shall  ring  up  Joseph  Neville,  your 
brother's  senior  partner.  I  shall  not  even  wait  for 
to-morrow,  mind.  I  shall  make  an  appointment,  and 
I  shall  place  in  his  hands  the  proof  of  your  brother's 
robbery." 

"  Perhaps,"  Pamela  murmured,  "  I  was  wrong  to 
stop  you,  Jimmy.  .  .  .  Anything  else,  Mr.  Fischer  ?  " 

"  Just  this.  I  would  rather  have  carried  this 
matter  through  in  a  friendly  fashion,  for  reasons  at 
which  I  think  you  can  guess." 

She  shook  her  head. 

"  You  flatter  my  intelligence !  "  she  told  him  scorn- 
fully. 

"  I  will  explain,  then.  I  desire  to  offer  myself  as 
your  suitor." 

She  laughed  at  him  without  restraint  or  considera- 
tion. 

"  I  would  rather  marry  my  brother's  valet !  "  she 
declared. 


n4  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  You  are  entirely  wrong,"  he  protested.  "  You 
are  wrong,  too,  in  holding  up  cards  against  me.  We 
are  on  the  same  side.  You  are  an  American,  and 
so  am  I.  I  swear  that  I  desire  nothing  that  is  not 
for  your  good.  You  have  wonderful  gifts,  and 
I  have  great  wealth  and  opportunities.  I  have 
also  a  sincere  and  very  heartfelt  admiration  for 
you." 

"  I  have  never  been  more  flattered ! "  Pamela 
scoffed. 

He  looked  a  little  wistfully  from  one  to  the  other. 
Antagonism  and  dislike  were  written  in  their  faces. 
Even  Pamela,  who  was  skilled  in  the  art  of  subter- 
fuge, made  little  effort  to  conceal  her  aversion. 
Nevertheless,  he  continued  doggedly. 

*'  What  does  it  matter,"  he  demanded,  "  who 
handles  this  formula  —  you  or  I?  Our  faces  are 
turned  in  the  same  direction.  There  is  this  differ- 
ence only  with  me.  I  want  to  make  it  the  basis  of 
a  kindlier  feeling  in  Washington  towards  my  father's 
country." 

Pamela's  eyebrows  were  raised. 

"  Are  you  sure,"  she  asked,  "  that  the  formula  it- 
self would  not  find  its  way  into  your  father's  coun- 
try?" 

"  As  to  that  I  pledge  my  word,"  he  replied.  "  I 
am  an,  American  citizen." 

"Looks  like  it,  doesn't  he!"  Van  Teyl  jeered. 

"  Tell  us  what  you  have  been  doing  in  Berlin, 
then  ?  "  Pamela  inquired. 

"  I  had  a  definite  mission  there,"  Fischer  assured 
them,  "  which  I  hope  to  bring  to  a  definite  conclu- 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  115 

iion.  If  you  are  an  American  citizen  in  the  broadest 
sense  of  the  word,  England  is  no  more  to  you  than 
Germany.  I  want  to  place  before  some  responsible 
person  in  the  American  Government,  a  proposal  — 
an  official  proposal  —  the  acceptance  of  which  will 
be  in  years  to  come  of  immense  benefit  to  her." 

"  And  the  quid  pro  quo  ?  "  Pamela  asked  gently. 

**  I  am  not  here  for  the  purpose  of  gratifying  curi- 
osity," Fischer  replied,  "  but  if  you  will  take  this 
matter  up  seriously,  you  shall  be  the  person  through 
whom  this  proposal  shall  be  brought  before  the 
American  Government.  The  whole  of  the  negotia- 
tions shall  be  conducted  through  you.  If  you  suc- 
ceed, you  will  be  known  throughout  history  as  the 
woman  who  saved  America  from  her  great  and  grow- 
ing danger.  If  you  fail,  you  will  be  no  worse  off 
than  you  are  now." 

"  And  you  propose  to  hand  over  the  conduct  of 
these  negotiations  to  me,"  Pamela  observed,  "  in  re- 
turn for  what?  " 

"  The  pocketbook  which  you  took  from  Captain 
Graham." 

"  So  there  we  are,  back  again  at  the  commence- 
ment of  our  discussion,"  Pamela  remarked.  "  Are 
you  going  to  repeat  that  you  want  this  formula  for 
Washington  and  not  for  Berlin?  " 

"  My  first  idea,"  Fischer  confessed,  "  was  to  hand 
it  over  to  Germany.  I  have  changed  my  views. 
Germany  has  great  explosives  of  her  own.  This 
formula  shall  be  used  in  a  different  fashion.  It  shall 
be  a  lever  in  the  coming  negotiations  between  Amer- 
ica and  Germany." 


ti6  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  We  have  had  a  great  deal  of  conversation  to  no 
practical  purpose,"  Pamela  declared.  "  Why  are 
you  so  sure  that  I  have  the  formula?  " 

Fischer  frowned  slightly.  He  had  recovered  him- 
self now,  and  his  tone  was  as  steady  and  quiet  as 
ever.  Only  occasionally  his  eyes  wandered  to  where 
James  Van  Teyl  was  fidgetting  about  the  table,  and 
at  such  times  his  fingers  tightened  upon  the  stock  of 
his  revolver. 

"  It  is  practically  certain  that  you  have  the  pa- 
pers," he  pointed  out.  "  You  were  the  first  person 
to  go  up  the  stairs  after  Graham  had  been  rendered 
unconscious.  Joseph  admits  that  he  had  been  forced 
to  leave  him  —  the  orchestra  was  waiting  to  play. 
He  was  alone  in  that  little  room.  That  you  should 
have  known  of  its  existence  and  his  presence  there  is 
surprising,  but  nothing  more.  Furthermore,  I  am 
convinced  that- you  were  in  some  way  concerned  with 
his  rescue  later.  You  visited  Hassan  and  you  visited 
Joseph.  From  the  latter  you  procured  the  key  of 
the  chapel.  If  only  he  had  had  the  courage  to  tell 
the  truth  —  well,  we  will  let  that  pass.  You  have 
the  papers,  Miss  Van  Teyl.  I  am  bidding  a  great 
price  for  them.  If  you  are  a  wise  woman,  you  will 
not  hesitate." 

There  was  a  knock  at  the  door.  They  all  three 
turned  towards  it  a  little  impatiently.  Even  Pamela 
and  her  brother  felt  the  grip  of  an  absorbing  prob- 
lem. To  their  surprise,  it  was  Lutchester  who  re- 
appeared upon  the  threshold.  In  his  hand  he  held 
a  small  sealed  packet. 

"  So  sorry  to  disturb  you  all,"  he  apologised.     "  I 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  117 

have  something  here  which  I  believe  belongs  to  you, 
Miss  Van  Teyl.  I  thought  I'd  better  bring  it  up  and 
explain.  From  the  way  your  little  Japanese  friend 
was  holding  on  to  it,  I  thought  it  might  be  important. 
It  is  a  little  torn,  but  that  isn't  my  fault." 

He  held  it  out  to  Pamela.  It  was  a  long  packet 
torn  open  at  one  end.  From  it  was  protruding  a 
worn,  brown  pocketbook.  Pamela's  hand  closed 
upon  it  mechanically.  There  was  a  dazed  look  in  her 
eyes.  Fischer's  fingers  stole  once  more  towards  the 
pocket  into  which,  at  Lutchester's  entrance,  he  had 
slipped  his  revolver. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

Lutchester,  to  all  appearance,  remained  sublimely 
unconscious  of  the  tension  which  his  words  and  ap- 
pearance seemed  to  have  created.  He  had  strolled 
a  little  further  into  the  room,  and  was  looking  down 
at  the  packet  which  he  still  held. 

"  You  are  wondering  how  I  got  hold  of  this,  of 
course?"  he  observed.  "Just  one  of  those  simple 
little  coincidences  which  either  mean  a  great  deal  or 
nothing  at  all." 

"  How  did  you  know  it  was  mine  ?  "  Pamela  asked, 
almost  under  her  breath. 

"  I'll  explain,"  Lutchester  continued.  "  I  was  in 
the  lobby  of  the  hotel,  a  few  minutes  ago,  when  I 
heard  the  fire  bell  outside.  I  hurried  out  and 
watched  the  engines  go  by  from  the  sidewalk.  I  have 
always  been  rather  interested  in — " 

"  Never  mind  that,  please.  Go  on,"  Pamela  asked, 
almost  under  her  breath. 

"  Certainly,"  Lutchester  assented.  "  On  the  way 
back,  then,  I  saw  a  little  Japanese,  who  was  coming 
out  of  the  hotel,  knocked  down  by  a  taxicab  which 
skidded  nearly  into  the  door.  I  don't  think  he  was 
badly  hurt  —  I'm  not  even  sure  that  he  was  hurt  at 
all.  I  picked  up  this  packet  from  the  spot  where  he 
had  been  lying,  and  I  was  on  the  point  of  taking  it 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  119 

to  the  office  when  I  saw  your  name  upon  it,  Miss 
Van  Teyl,  in  what  seemed  to  me  to  be  your  own 
handwriting,  so  I  thought  I'd  bring  it  up." 

He  laid  it  upon  the  table.  Pamela's  eyes  seemed 
fastened  upon  it.  She  turned  it  over  nervously. 

"  It  is  very  kind  of  you,  Mr.  Lutchester,"  she  mur- 
mured. 

"  I'll  be  perfectly  frank,"  he  went  on.  "  I  should 
have  found  out  where  the  little  man  who  dropped  it 
had  disappeared  to,  and  restored  it  to  him,  but  I 
fancied  —  of  course,  I  may  have  been  wrong  —  that 
you  and  he  were  having  some  sort  of  a  disagreement, 
a  few  minutes  ago,  when  I  happened  to  come  in. 
Anyway,  that  was  in  my  mind,  and  I  thought  I'd  run 
no  risks." 

"  You  did  the  very  kindest  and  most  considerate 
thing,"  Pamela  declared. 

"  The  little  Japanese  must  have  been  our  new 
valet,"  James  Van  Teyl  observed.  "  I'm  beginning 
to  think  that  he  is  not  going  to  be  much  of  an  acqui- 
sition." 

"  You'll  probably  see  something  of  him  in  a  few 
minutes,"  Lutchester  remarked.  "  I  will  wish  you 
good  night,  Miss  Van  Teyl.  Good  night !  " 

Pamela's  reiterated  thanks  were  murmured  and 
perfunctory.  Even  James  Van  Teyl's  hospitable 
instincts  seemed  numbed.  They  allowed  Lutchester 
to  depart  with  scarcely  a  word.  With  the  closing 
of  the  door,  speech  brought  them  some  relief  from  a 
state  of  tension  which  was  becoming  intolerable. 
Even  then  Fischer  at  first  said  nothing.  He  had 
risen  noiselessly  to  his  feet,  his  right  hand  was  in 


lao  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

the  sidepocket  of  his  coat,  his  eyes  were  fixed  upon 
the  table. 

"  So  this  is  why  you  insisted  upon  a  valet !  "  James 
Van  Teyl  exclaimed,  his  voice  thick  with  anger. 
"  He's  planted  here  to  rob  for  you !  Is  that  it,  eh, 
Fischer?  " 

Pamela  drew  the  packet  towards  her  and  stood 
with  her  right  palm  covering  it.  Fischer  seemed 
still  at  a  loss  for  words. 

"  I  can  assure  you,"  he  said  at  last  fervently, 
"  that  if  that  packet  was  stolen  from  Miss  Van  Teyl 
by  Nikasti,  it  was  done  without  my  instigation.  It 
is  as  much  a  surprise  to  me  as  to  any  of  you.  We 
can  congratulate  ourselves  that  it  is  not  on  the  way 
to  Japan." 

Pamela  nodded. 

"  He  is  speaking  the  truth,"  she  asserted.  "  Nika- 
sti is  not  out  to  steal  for  others.  He  is  playing  the 
same  game  as  all  of  us,  only  he  is  playing  it  for 
his  own  hand.  Mr.  Fischer  has  brought  him  here  for 
some  purpose  of  his  own,  without  a  doubt,  but  I  am 
quite  sure  that  Nikasti  never  meant  to  be  any  one's 
cat's-paw." 

*'  Believe  me,  that  is  the  truth,"  Fischer  agreed. 
"  I  will  admit  that  I  brought  Nikasti  here  with  a 
purpose,  but  upon  my  honour  I  swear  that  until  this 
evening  I  never  dreamed  that  he  even  knew  of  the 
existence  of  the  formula." 

"  Oh !  we  are  not  the  only  people  in  the  world  who 
are  clever,"  Pamela  declared,  with  an  unnatural  little 
laugh.  "  The  first  man  who  took  note  of  Sandy 
Graham's  silly  words  as  he  rushed  into  Henry's  was 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  121 

Baron  Sunyea.  I  saw  him  stiffen  as  he  listened. 
He  even  uttered  a  word  of  remonstrance.  Japan  in 
London  heard.  Japan  in  your  sitting-room  here,  in 
ten  days'  time,  knew  everything  there  was  to  be 
known." 

"  I  didn't  bring  Nikasti  here  for  this,"  Fischer 
insisted. 

"  Perhaps  not,"  Pamela  conceded,  "  but  if  you're 
a  good  American,  what  are  you  doing  at  all  with  a 
Japanese  secret  agent  ?  " 

"  If  you  trust  me,  you  shall  know,"  Fischer  prom- 
ised. "  Listen  to  reason.  Let  us  have  finished  with 
one  affair  at  a  time.  You  very  nearly  lost  that 
formula  to  Japan.  Hand  over  the  pocketbook. 
You  see  how  dangerous  it  is  for  it  to  remain  in  your 
possession.  I'll  keep  my  share  of  the  bargain.  I'll 
put  my  scheme  before  you.  Come,  be  reasonable. 
See,  here's  the  forged  transfer." 

He  drew  a  paper  from  his  pocket  and  spread  it 
out  upon  the  table.  His  long,  hairy  fingers  were 
shaking  with  nervousness. 

"  Come,  make  it  a  deal,"  he  persisted.  "  You  can 
pay  me  the  defalcations  or  not,  as  you  choose. 
There  is  your  brother's  freedom  and  the  honour  of 
your  name,  in  exchange  for  that  pocketbook." 

Pamela,  after  all  her  hesitation,  seemed  to  make 
up  her  mind  with  startling  suddenness.  She  thrust 
the  pocketbook  towards  Fischer,  took  the  transfer 
from  his  fingers  and  tore  it  into  small  pieces. 

"  I  give  in,"  she  said.  "  This  time  you  have 
scored.  We  will  talk  about  the  other  matter  to- 
morrow." 


132  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Fischer  buttoned  up  the  packet  carefully  in  his 
breast  pocket.  His  eyes  glittered.  He  turned  to- 
wards the  door.  On  the  threshold  he  looked  around. 
He  stretched  out  his  hand  towards  Pamela. 

"  Believe  me,  you  have  done  well,"  he  assured  her 
hoarsely.  "  I  shall  keep  my  word.  I  will  set  you 
in  the  path  of  great  things." 

He  left  the  room,  and  they  heard  the  furious  ring- 
ing of  the  lift  bell.  Pamela  was  tearing  into  smaller 
pieces  the  forged  transfer.  Van  Teyl,  a  little  pale, 
but  with  new  life  in  his  frame,  was  watching  the 
fragments  upon  the  floor.  There  was  a  tap  at  the 
door.  Nikasti  entered.  Pamela's  fingers  paused  in 
their  task.  Van  Teyl  stared  at  him.  The  new- 
comer was  carrying  the  evening  papers,  which  he 
laid  down  upon  the  table. 

"  Is  there  anything  more  I  can  do  before  I  go  to 
bed,  sir?  "  he  asked,  with  his  usual  reverential  little 
bow. 

"  Aren't  you  hurt?'"  Van  Teyl  exclaimed. 

"  Hurt  ?  "  Nikasti  replied  wonderingly.  "  Oh, 
no!" 

"  Weren't  you  knocked  down  by  a  taxicab," 
Pamela  asked,  "  outside  the  hotel?  " 

Nikasti  looked  from  one  to  the  other  with  an  air 
of  gentle  surprise. 

"  I  have  been  to  my  rooms  in  the  servants'  quar- 
ters," he  told  them,  "  on  the  upper  floor.  I  have 
not  been  downstairs  at  all.  I  have  been  unpacking 
and  arranging  my  own  humble  belongings." 

Van  Teyl  clasped  his  forehead. 

"  Let  me  get  this !  "  he  exclaimed.     "  You  haven't 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  123 

been  down  in  the  lobby  of  the  hotel,  you  haven't 
been  knocked  down  by  a  taxicab  that  skidded,  you 
haven't  lost  a  pocketbook  which  you  had  previously 
stolen  from  my  sister?  " 

Nikasti  shook  his  head.  He  seemed  completely 
mystified.  He  watched  Pamela's  face  carefully. 

"  Perhaps  there  has  been  some  mistake,"  he  sug- 
gested quietly.  "  My  English  is  sometimes  not  very 
good.  I  would  not  dream  of  trying  to  rob  the  young 
lady.  I  have  not  lost  any  pocketbook.  I  have  not 
descended  lower  down  in  the  hotel  than  this  floor." 

Van  Teyl  waved  him  away,  accepted  his  farewell 
salutation,  and  waited  until  the  door  was  closed. 

"  Look  here,  Pamela,"  he  protested,  turning  almost 
appealingly  towards  her,  "  my  brain  wasn't  made  for 
this  sort  of  thing.  What  in  thunder  does  it  all 
mean  ?  " 

Pamela  looked  at  the  fragments  of  paper  upon  the 
floor  and  sank  back  in  an  easy  chair. 

"  Jimmy,"  she  confided,  "  I  don't  know." 


CHAPTER  XV 

Pamela  opened  her  eyes  the  next  morning  upon 
a  distinctly  pleasing  sight.  At  the  foot  of  her  bed 
was  an  enormous  basket  of  pink  carnations.  On 
the  counterpane  by  her  side  lay  a  smaller  cluster  of 
twelve  very  beautiful  dark  red  Gloire  de  Dijon  roses. 
Attached  to  these  latter  was  a  note. 

"  When  did  these  flowers  come,  Leah  ?  "  Pamela 
asked  the  maid  who  was  moving  about  the  room. 

"  An  hour  ago,  madam,"  the  girl  told  her. 

"  Read  the  name  on  the  card,"  Pamela  directed, 
pointing  to  the  mass  of  pink  blossoms. 

"  Mr.  Oscar  H.  Fischer,"  the  girl  read  out,  "  with 
respectful  compliments." 

Pamela  smiled. 

"  He  doesn't  know,  then,"  she  murmured  to  her- 
self. "  Get  my  bath  ready,  Leah." 

The  maid  disappeared  into  the  inner  room. 
Pamela  tore  open  the  note  attached  to  the  roses  by 
her  side,  and  read  it  slowly  through: 

Dear  Miss  Van  Teyl, 

I  am  so  very  sorry,  but  the  luncheon  we  had  half- 
planned  for  to-day  must  be  postponed.  I  have  an  urgent 
message  to  go  south,  to  inspect  —  but  no  secrets  !  It's 
horribly  disappointing.  I  hope  we  may  meet  in  a  few 
days. 

Sincerely  yours, 

JOHN  LUTCHESTBR. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  125 

Pamela  laid  down  the  note,  conscious  of  an  inde- 
fined  but  distinct  sensation  of  disappointment. 
After  all,  it  was  not  so  wonderful  to  wake  up  and 
find  oneself  in  New  York.  The  sun  was  pleasant, 
the  little  puffs  of  air  which  came  in  through  the  win- 
dow across  the  park,  delightful  and  exhilarating,  yet 
something  had  gone  out  of  the  day.  Accustomed 
to  self-analysis,  she  asked  herself  swiftly  —  what  ? 
It  was,  without  a  doubt,  something  to  do  with 
Lutchester's  departure.  She  tried  to  face  the  ques- 
tion of  her  disappointment.  Was  it  possible  to  feel 
any  real  interest  in  a  man  who  preferred  a  Govern- 
ment post  to  the  army  at  such  a  time,  and  who  had 
brought  his  golf  clubs  out  to  America?  Her  im- 
agination for  a  moment  revolved  around  the  prob- 
lem of  his  apparently  uninteresting  and  yet,  in  some 
respects,  contradictory  personality.  Was  it  really 
her  fancy  or  had  she,  every  now  and  then,  detected 
behind  that  flamboyant  manner  traces  of  something 
deeper  and  more  serious,  something  which  seemed 
to  indicate  a  life  and  aims  of  which  nothing  ap- 
peared upon  the  surface?  She  clasped  her  knees 
and  sat  up  in  bed,  listening  to  the  sound  of  the  run- 
ning water  in  the  next  room.  Was  there  any  pos- 
sible explanation  of  his  opportune  appearance  on 
the  night  before  with  a  dummy  pocketbook  and  a 
concocted  story?  The  cleverest  man  on  earth  could 
surely  never  have  gauged  her  position  with  Fischer 
and  intervened  in  such  a  manner  at  the  psychological 
moment. 

Yet  he  had  done  it,  she  reflected,  gazing 
thoughtfully  at  Fischer's  gift.  If,  indeed,  he  knew 


ia6  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

what  was  passing  around  him  to  that  extent,  how 
much  more  knowledge  might  he  not  possess?  She 
felt  the  little  silken  belt  around  her  waist.  At  least 
there  was  no  one  who  could  take  Sandy  Graham's 
secret  from  her  until  she  chose  to  give  it  up.  Sup- 
posing for  a  moment  that  Lutchester  was  also  out 
for  the  great  things,  was  he  fooled  by  her  attitude? 
If  he  knew  so  much,  he  must  know  that  the  secret  re- 
mained with  her.  Perhaps,  after  all,  he  was  only  a 
philanderer  in  intrigue.  .  .  . 

Pamela  bathed  and  dressed,  sent  for  her  brother, 
and,  to  his  horror,  insisted  upon  an  American  break- 
fast. 

"  It's  quite  time  I  came  back  to  look  after  you, 
Jimmy,"  she  said  severely,  as  she  watched  him  send 
away  his  grapefruit  and  gaze  helplessly  at  his  bacon 
and  eggs.  "  You're  going  to  turn  over  a  new  leaf, 
young  man." 

"  I  shan't  be  sorry,"  he  confessed  fervently.  "  I 
tell  you,  Pamela,  when  you  have  a  thing  like  this 
hanging  over  you,  it's  hell  —  some  hell!  You  just 
want  to  drown  your  thoughts  and  keep  going  all  the 
time." 

She  nodded  sagely. 

"  Well,  that's  over  now,  Jimmy,"  she  said,  "  and  I 
meant  you  to  listen  to  me.  It's  more  than  likely  that 
Mr.  Fischer  may  find  out  at  any  moment  that  the 
mysterious  pocketbook,  which  came  from  heaven 
knows  where,  is  a  faked  one.  He  may  be  horrid 
about  it." 

"  While  we  are  on  that,"  Van  Teyl  interrupted, 
"  I  couldn't  sleep  a  wink  last  night  for  trying  to  im- 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  127 

agine  where  on  earth  that  fellow  Lutchester  came  in, 
and  what  his  game  was." 

"  I  have  a  headache  this  morning,  trying  to  puzzle 
out  the  same  thing,"  Pamela  told  him. 

"  He  seems  such  an  ordinary  sort  of  chap,"  Van 
Teyl  continued  thoughtfully.  "  Good  sportsman,  no 
doubt,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  but  the  last  fellow 
in  the  world  to  concoct  a  yarn,  and  if  he  did,  what 
was  his  object?  " 

"  Jimmy,"  his  sister  begged,  "  let's  quit.  Of 
course,  I  know  a  little  more  than  you  do,  but  the 
little  more  that  I  do  know  only  makes  it  more  con- 
fusing. Now,  to  make  it  worse,  he's  gone  away." 

"  What,  this  morning?  " 

"  Gone  away  on  his  Government  work,"  Pamela 
announced.  "  I  had  a  note  and  some  roses  from 
him.  Don't  let's  talk  about  it,  Jimmy.  I  keep  on 
getting  new  ideas,  and  it  makes  my  brain  whirl.  I 
want  to  talk  about  you." 

"  I'm  a  rotten  lot  to  talk  about,"  he  sighed. 

She  patted  his  hand. 

"  You're  nothing  of  the  sort,  dear,  and  you've  got 
to  remember  now  that  you're  out  of  the  trouble.  But 
listen.  Hurry  down  to  the  office  as  early  as  you  can 
and  set  about  straightening  things  out,  so  that  if 
Mr.  Fischer  tries  to  make  trouble,  he  won't  be  able 
to  do  it.  There's  my  cheque  for  eighty-nine  thou- 
sand dollars  I  made  out  last  night  before  I  went  to 
bed,"  she  added,  passing  it  over  to  him.  "  Just  re^ 
place  what  stocks  you're  short  of  and  get  yourself 
out  of  the  mess,  and  don't  waste  any  time  about  it." 

His  face  glowed  as  he  looked  across  the  table. 


ia8  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  You're  the  most  wonderful  sister,  Pamela." 

"  Nonsense !  "  she  interrupted.  "  Nonsense !  I 
ought  not  to  have  left  you  alone  all  this  time,  and, 
besides,  I'm  pretty  sure  he  helped  you  into  this 
trouble  for  his  own  ends.  Anyway,  we  are  all  right 
now.  I  shall  be  in  New  York  for  a  few  days  before 
I  go  to  Washington.  When  I  do  go,  you  must  see 
whether  you  can  get  leave  and  come  with  me." 

"  That's  bully,"  he  declared.  "  I'll  get  leave,  right 
enough.  There's  never  been  less  doing  in  Wall 
Street.  But  say,  Pamela,  I  don't  seem  to  half  un- 
derstand what's  going  on.  You've  given  up  most 
of  your  friends,  and  you  spend  months  away  there 
in  Europe  in  all  sorts  of  corners.  Now  you  come 
back  and  you  seem  mixed  up  in  regular  secret  serv- 
ice work.  Where  do  you  come  in,  anyway?  What 
are  you  going  to  Washington  for?  " 

She  smiled. 

"  Queer  tastes,  haven't  I,  Jimmy  ?  " 

"  Queer  for  a  girl." 

"  That's  prejudice,"  she  objected,  shaking  her 
head.  "  Nowadays  there  are  few  things  a  woman 
can't  do.  To  tell  you  the  truth,  my  new  interest  in 
life  started  three  years  ago,  when  Uncle  Theodore 
found  out  that  I  was  going  to  Rome  for  the  winter." 

"So  Uncle  Theodore  started  it,  did  he?  " 

She  nodded. 

"  That's  the  worst  of  having  an  uncle  in  the  Ad- 
ministration, isn't  it?  Well,  of  course,  he  gave  me 
letters  to  every  one  in  Rome,  and  I  found  out  what 
he  wanted  quite  easily,  and  without  the  inquiries 
going  through  the  Embassy  at  all.  Sometimes,  as 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  129 

you  can  understand,  that's  a  great  advantage.  I 
found  it  simply  fascinating — the  work,  I  mean  — 
and  after  three  or  four  more  commissions  —  well, 
they  recognised  me  at  Washington.  I  have  been  to 
most  of  the  capitals  in  Europe  at  different  times, 
with  small  affairs  to  arrange  at  each,  or  informa- 
tion to  get.  Sometimes  it's  been  just  about  com- 
mercial things.  Since  the  war,  though,  of  course, 
it's  been  more  exciting  than  ever.  If  I  were  an 
Englishwoman  instead  of  an  American,  I  could  tell 
them  some  things  in  London  which  they'd  find  pretty 
surprising.  It's  not  my  affair,  though,  and  I  keep 
what  information  I  do  pick  up  until  it  works  in  with 
something  else  for  our  own  good.  I  knew  quite  well 
in  Berlin,  for  instance,  to  speak  of  something  you've 
heard  of,  that  Henry's  Restaurant  in  London  was 
being  used  as  a  centre  of  espionage  by  the  Germans. 
That  is  why  I  was  on  the  lookout,  the  day  I  went 
there." 

"  You  mean  the  day  that  pocketbook  was  stolen 
that  the  whole  world  seems  crazy  about?  "  Van  Teyl 
asked. 

She  nodded. 

"  I  believe  it  is  perfectly  true,"  she  said,  "  that  a 
young  man  called  Graham  has  invented  an  entirely 
new  explosive,  the  formula  for  which  he  brought 
to  Henry's  with  him  that  day.  It  isn't  only  what 
happens  when  the  shell  explodes,  but  a  sort  of 
putrefaction  sets  in  all  round,  and  they  say  that 
everything  within  a  mile  dies.  There  were  spies 
down  even  watching  his  experiments.  There  were 
spies  following  him  up  to  London,  there  were  spies 


i3o  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

in  Henry's  Restaurant  when  like  a  fool  he  gave  the 
thing  away.  Fischer  was  the  ringleader  of  this  lot, 
and  he  meant  having  the  formula  from  Graham  that 
night.  I  don't  want  to  bore  you,  Jimmy,  but  I  got 
there  first." 

"  Bore  me !  "  the  young  man  repeated.  "  Why, 
it's  like  a  modern  Arabian  Nights.  I  can't  imagine 
you  in  the  thick  of  this  sort  of  thing,  Pamela." 

"  It's  very  easy  to  slip  into  the  way  of  anything 
you  like,"  she  answered.  "  I  knew  exactly  what 
they  were  going  to  do  to  Captain  Graham,  and  I 
got  there  before  them.  When  they  searched  him, 
the  formula  had  gone.  Fischer  caught  my  steamer 
and  worried  me  all  the  way  over.  He  thought  he 
had  us  in  a  corner  last  night,  and  then  a  miracle 
happened." 

"  You  mean  that  fellow  Lutchester  turning  up  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  mean  that,"  Pamela  admitted. 

"  Say,  didn't  that  Jap  fellow  get  the  pocketbook 
from  your  rooms  at  all,  then  ?  "  Van  Teyl  asked.  "  I 
couldn't  follow  it  all  last  night." 

"  He  searched  my  rooms,"  Pamela  replied,  "  and 
failed  to  find  it.  Afterwards,  when  he  and  I  were 
alone  in  your  sitting-room,  heaven  knows  what 
would  have  happened,  but  for  the  miraculous  arrival 
of  Mr.  Lutchester,  whom  I  had  left  behind  in  Lon- 
don, come  to  pay  an  evening  call  in  the  Hotel  Plaza, 
New  York ! " 

Van  Teyl  shook  his  head  slowly,  got  up  from  his 
seat,  lit  a  cigarette,  and  came  back  again. 

"  Pam,"  he  confessed,  "  my  brain  won't  stand  it. 
You're  not  going  to  tell  me  that  Lutchester's  in  the 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  131 

game?     Why,  a  simpler  sort  of  fellow  I  never  spoke 
to." 

"  I  can't  make  up  my  own  mind  about  Mr. 
Lutchester,"  Pamela  sighed.  "  He  helped  me  in 
London  on  the  night  I  sailed  —  in  fact,  he  was  very 
useful  indeed  —  but  why  he  invented  that  story  about 
Nikasti,  brought  a  dummy  pocketbook  into  the  room 
and  helped  us  out  of  all  our  troubles,  unless  it  was 
by  sheer  and  brilliant  instinct,  I  cannot  imagine." 

"  Let  me  get  on  to  this,"  Van  Teyl  said.  "  Even 
the  pocketbook  was  a  fake,  then?" 

She  nodded. 

"  I  shouldn't  be  likely  to  leave  things  I  risk  my 
life  for  about  my  bedroom,"  she  told  him. 

"  Where  is  it,  then  —  the  real  thing  ?  "  he  asked. 

She  smiled. 

"  If  you  must  know,  Jimmy,"  she  confided,  drop- 
ping her  voice,  "  it's  in  a  little  compartment  of  a 
silk  belt  around  my  waist.  It  will  remain  there  until 
I  get  to  Washington,  or  until  Mr.  Haskall  comes  to 
me." 

"  Haskall,  the  Government  explosives  man?  " 

Pamela  nodded. 

"  Even  he  won't  get  it  without  Government  author- 
ity." 

"  Now,  tell  me,  Pamela,"  Van  Teyl  went  on  — 
"  you're  a  far-seeing  girl  —  I  suppose  we  should  get 
it  in  the  neck  from  Germany  some  day  or  other,  if 
the  Germans  won  ?  Why  don't  you  hand  the  formula 
over  to  the  British,  and  give  them  a  chance  to  get 
ahead?  " 

"  That's  a  sensible  question,  Jimmy,  and  I'll  try 


I32  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

to  answer  it,"  Pamela  promised.  "  Because  when 
once  the  shells  are  made  and  used,  the  secret  will 
be  gone.  I  think  it  very  likely  that  it  would  enable 
England  to  win  the  war;  but,  you  see,  I  am  an 
American,  not  English,  and  I'm  all  American.  I 
have  been  in  touch  with  things  pretty  closely  for 
some  time  now,  and  I  see  trouble  ahead  for  us  before 
very  long.  I  can't  exactly  tell  you  where  it's  coming 
from,  but  I  feel  it.  I  want  America  to  have  some- 
thing up  her  sleeve,  that's  why." 

"  You're  a  great  girl,  Pamela,"  her  brother  de- 
clared. "  I'm  off  downtown,  feeling  a  different  man. 
And,  Pamela,  I  haven't  said  much,  but  God  bless 
you,  and  as  long  as  I  live  I'm  going  as  straight  as  a 
die.  I've  had  my  lesson." 

He  bent  over  her  a  little  clumsily  and  kissed  her. 
Pamela  walked  to  the  door  with  him. 

"  Be  a  dear,"  she  called  out,  "  and  come  back  early. 
And,  Jimmy !  "  .  .  . 

"Hullo?" 

"  Put  things  right  at  the  office  at  once,"  she  whis- 
pered with  emphasis.  "  Fischer  hasn't  found  out 
yet.  I  sent  him  a  message  this  morning,  thanking 
him  for  the  carnations,  and  asking  him  to  walk 
with  me  in  the  park  after  breakfast.  I  shall  keep 
him  away  till  lunch  time,  at  least." 

The  young  man  looked  at  her,  and  at  Nikasti,  who 
out  in  the  corridor  was  holding  his  hat  and  cane. 
Then  he  chuckled. 

"  And  they  say  that  things  don't  happen  in  New 
York !  "  he  murmured,  as  he  turned  away. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

An  elderly  New  Yorker,  a  man  of  fashion,  re- 
nowned for  his  social  perceptions,  pressed  his  com- 
panion's arm  at  the  entrance  to  Central  Park  and 
pointed  to  Pamela. 

"  There  goes  a  typical  New  York  girl,"  he  said, 
"  and  the  best-looking  I've  seen  for  many  a  long 
day.  You  can  go  all  round  Europe,  Freddie,  and 
not  see  a  girl  with  a  face  and  figure  like  that.  She 
had  that  frank  way,  too,  of  looking  you  in  the 
eyes." 

"  I  know,"  the  other  assented.  "  Gibson's  girls 
all  had  it.  Kind  of  look  which  seems  to  say  — *  I 
know  you  find  me  nice  and  I  don't  mind.  I  wonder 
whether  you're  nice,  too.' ' 

Pamela  strolled  along  the  park  with  Fischer  by 
her  side.  She  wore  a  tailor-made  costume  of  black 
and  white  tweed,  and  a  smart  hat,  in  which  yellow 
seemed  the  predominating  colour.  Her  shoes,  her 
gloves,  the  little  tie  about  her  throat,  were  all  the 
last  word  in  the  simple  elegance  of  suitability. 
Fischer  walked  by  her  side  —  a  powerful,  determined 
figure  in  a  carefully-pressed  blue  serge  suit  and  a 
brown  Homburg  hat.  He  wore  a  rose  in  his  button- 
hole, and  he  carried  a  cane  —  both  unusual  circum- 
stances. After  fifty  years  of  strenuous  living,  Mr. 


134  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Fischer  seemed  suddenly  to  have  found  a  new  thing 
in  the  world. 

"  This  is  a  pleasant  idea  of  yours,  Miss  Van 
Teyl,"  he  said. 

"  I  haven't  disturbed  your  morning,  I  hope?  "  she 
asked. 

"  I  guess,  if  you  have,  it  isn't  the  way  you  mean," 
he  replied.  "  You've  disturbed  a  good  deal  of  my 
time  and  thoughts  lately." 

"  Well,  you've  had  your  own  way  now,"  she 
sighed,  looking  at  him  out  of  the  corner  of  her  eyes. 
"  I  suppose  you  always  get  your  own  way  in  the 
end,  don't  you,  Mr.  Fischer?  " 

"  Generally,"  he  admitted.  "  I  tell  you,  though, 
Miss  Van  Teyl,"  he  went  on  earnestly,  "  if  you're 
alluding  to  last  night's  affair,  I  hated  the  whole 
business.  It  was  my  duty,  and  the  opportunity  was 
there,  but  with  what  I  have  I  am  satisfied.  With  ref- 
erence to  that  little  debt  of  your  brother's  — " 

"  Please  don't  say  a  word,  Mr.  Fischer,"  she  inter- 
rupted. "  You  will  find  that  all  put  right  as  soon 
as  you  get  down  to  Wall  Street.  Tell  me,  what 
have  you  done  with  your  prize?  " 

Mr.  Fischer  looked  very  humble. 

"  Miss  Van  Teyl,"  he  said,  "  for  certain  reasons  I 
am  going  to  tell  you  the  truth.  Perhaps  it  will  be 
the  best  in  the  long  run.  We  may  even  before  long 
be  working  together.  So  I  start  by  being  honest 
with  you.  The  pocketbook  is  by  now  on  its  way  to 
Germany." 

"  To  Germany?  "  she  exclaimed.  "  And  after  all 
your  promises ! " 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  135 

"  Ah,  but  think,  Miss  Van  Teyl,"  he  pleaded.  "  I 
throw  aside  all  subterfuge.  In  your  heart  you  know 
well  what  I  am  and  what  I  stand  for.  I  deny  it  no 
longer.  I  am  a  German-American,  working  for 
Germany,  simply  because  America  does  not  need 
my  help.  If  America  were  at  war  with  any  country 
in  the  world,  my  brains,  my  knowledge,  my  wealth 
would  be  hers.  But  now  it  is  different.  Germany 
is  surrounded  by  many  enemies,  and  she  calls  for 
her  sons  all  over  the  world  to  remember  the  Father- 
land. You  can  sympathise  a  little  with  my  unfor- 
tunate country,  Miss  Van  Teyl,  and  yet  remain  a 
good  American.  You  are  not  angry  with  me?  " 

"  I  suppose  I  ought  to  be,  but  I  am  not  in  the 
least,"  she  assured  him.  "  I  never  had  any  doubt 
as  to  the  destination  of  that  packet." 

"  That,"  he  admitted,  "  is  a  relief  to  me.  Let  us 
wipe  the  matter  from  our  memories,  Miss  Van  Teyl." 

"  One  word,"  she  begged,  "  and  that  only  of  curios- 
ity. Did  you  examine  the  contents  of  the  pocket- 
book?" 

He  turned  his  head  and  looked  at  her.  For  a 
moment  he  had  lost  the  greater  spontaneity  of  his 
new  self.  He  was  again  the  cold,  calculating  ma- 
chine. 

"  No,"  he  answered,  except  to  take  out  and  de- 
stroy what  seemed  to  be  a  few  private  memoranda. 
There  was  a  bill  for  flowers,  a  note  from  a  young 
lady  —  some  rubbish  of  that  sort.  The  remaining 
papers  were  all  calculations  and  figures,  chemical 
formulas." 

"  Are  you  a  chemist,  Mr.  Fischer  ?  "  she  inquired. 


i36  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  Not  in  the  least,  he  acknowledged.  "  I  recog- 
nised just  enough  of  the  fprmulae  on  the  last  page 
to  realise  that  there  were  entirely  new  elements  be- 
ing dealt  with." 

She  nodded. 

"  I  only  asked  out  of  curiosity.  I  agree.  Let  us 
put  it  out  of  our  thoughts.  You  see,  I  am  generous. 
We  have  fought  a  battle,  you  and  I,  and  I  have  lost. 
Yet  we  remain  friends." 

"  It  is  more  than  your  friendship  that  I  want,  Miss 
Van  Teyl,"  he  pleaded,  his  voice  shaking  a  little.  "  I 
am  years  older  than  you,  I  know,  and,  by  your 
standards,  I  fear  unattractive.  But  you  love  power, 
and  I  have  it.  I  will  take  you  into  my  schemes.  I 
will  show  you  how  those  live  who  stand  behind  the 
clouds  and  wield  the  thunders." 

She  looked  at  him  with  genuine  surprise.  It  was 
necessary  to  readjust  some  of  her  impressions  of 
him.  Oscar  Fischer  was,  after  all,  a  human  be- 
ing. 

"  What  you  say  is  all  very  well  so  far  as  it  goes," 
she  told  him.  "  I  admit  that  a  life  of  scheming  and 
adventure  attracts  me.  I  love  power.  I  can  think 
of  nothing  more  wonderful  than  to  feel  the  machinery 
of  the  world  —  the  political  world  —  roar  or  die 
away,  according  to  the  touch  of  one's  fingers.  Oh, 
yes,  we're  alike  so  far  as  that  is  concerned!  But 
there  is  a  very  vital  difference.  You  are  only  an 
American  by  accident.  I  am  one  by  descent.  For 
me  there  doesn't  exist  any  other  country.  For  you 
Germany  comes  first." 

"  But  can't  you  realise,"  he  went  on  eagerly,  "  that 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  137 

even  this  is  for  the  best?  America  to-day  is  hypno- 
tised by  a  maudlin,  sentimental  affection  for  Eng- 
land, a  country  from  whom  she  never  received  any- 
thing but  harm.  We  want  to  change  that.  We 
want  to  kill  for  ever  the  misunderstandings  between 
the  two  greatest  nations  in  the  world.  My  creed  of 
life  could  be  yours,  too,  without  a  single  lapse  from 
your  patriotism.  Friendship,  alliance,  brotherhood, 
between  Germany  and  America.  That  would  be  my 
text." 

"  Shall  I  be  perfectly  frank  ?  "  Pamela  asked. 

"  Nothing  else  is  worth  while,"  was  the  instant 
answer. 

"  Well,  then,"  she  continued,  "  I  can  quite  see  that 
Germany  has  everything  to  gain  from  America's 
friendship,  but  I  cannot  see  the  quid  pro  quo." 

"  And  yet  it  is  so  clear,"  Fischer  insisted.  "  Your 
own  cloud  may  not  be  very  large  just  now,  but  it  is 
growing,  and,  before  you  know  it,  it  will  be  upon 
you.  Can  you  not  realise  why  Japan  is  keeping 
out  of  this  war?  She  is  conserving  her  strength. 
Millions  flow  into  her  coffers  week  by  week.  In  a 
few  years  time,  Japan,  for  the  first  time  in  her 
history,  will  know  what  it  is  to  possess  solid  wealth. 
What  does  she  want  it  for,  do  you  think?  She  has 
no  dreams  of  European  aggression,  or  her  soldiers 
would  be  fighting  there  now.  China  is  hers  for  the 
taking,  a  rich  prize  ready  to  fall  into  her  mouth  at 
any  moment.  But  the  end  and  aim  of  all  Japanese 
policy,  the  secret  Mecca  of  her  desires,  is  to  repay 
with  the  sword  the  insults  your  country  has  heaped 
upon  her.  It  is  for  that,  believe  me,  that  her 


i38  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

arsenals  are  working  night  and  day,  her  soldiers  are 
training,  her  fleet  is  in  reserve.  While  you  haggle 
about  a  few  volunteers,  Japan  is  strengthening  and 
perfecting  a  mighty  army  for  one  purpose  and  one 
purpose  only.  Unless  you  wake  up,  you  will  be  in 
the  position  that  Great  Britain  was  in  two  years 
ago.  Even  now,  work  though  you  may,  you  will 
never  wholly  make  up  for  lost  time.  The  one  chance 
for  you  is  friendship  with  Germany." 

"  Will  Germany  be  in  a  position  to  help  us  after 
the  war?  "  Pamela  asked. 

"  Never  doubt  it,"  Fischer  replied  vehemently. 
"  Before  peace  is  signed  the  sea  power  of  England 
will  be  broken.  Financially  she  will  be  ruined.  She 
is  a  country  without  economic  science,  without  fore- 
sight, without  statesmen.  The  days  of  her  golden 
opportunities  have  passed,  frittered  away.  Unless 
we  of  our  great  pity  bind  up  her  wounds,  England 
will  bleed  to  death  before  the  war  is  over." 

"  That,  you  must  remember,"  Pamela  said  prac- 
tically, *'  is  your  point  of  view." 

"  I  could  tell  you  things  — "  he  began. 

*'  Don't,"  she  begged.  "  I  know  what  your  out- 
look is  now.  Be  definite.  Leaving  aside  that  other 
matter,  what  is  your  proposition  to  me?  " 

Fischer  walked  for  a  while  in  silence.  They  had 
turned  back  some  time  since,  and  were  once  more 
nearing  the  Plaza. 

"  You  ask  me  to  leave  out  what  is  most  vital," 
he  said  at  last.  "  I  have  never  been  married,  Miss 
Van  Teyl.  I  am  wealthy.  I  am  promised  great 
honours  at  the  end  of  this  war.  When  that  comes, 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  139 

I  shall  rest.  If  you  will  be  my  wife,  you  can  choose 
your  home,  you  can  choose  your  title." 

She  shook  her  head. 

"  But  I  am  not  sure  that  I  even  like  you,  Mr. 
Fischer,"  she  objected.  "  We  have  fought  in  oppo- 
site camps,  and  you  have  had  the  bad  taste  to  be 
victorious.  Besides  which,  you  were  perfectly  brutal 
to  James,  and  I  am  not  at  all  sure  that  I  don't  resent 
your  bargain  with  me.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  I  am 
feeling  very  bitter  towards  you." 

"  You  should  not,"  he  remonstrated  earnestly. 
"  Remember  that,  after  all,  women  are  only  dabblers 
in  diplomacy.  Their  very  physique  prevents  them 
from  playing  the  final  game.  You  have  brains,  of 
course,  but  there  are  other  things  —  experience, 
courage,  resource.  You  would  be  a  wonderful  help- 
mate, Miss  Van  Teyl,  even  if  your  individual  and 
unaided  efforts  have  not  been  entirely  successful." 

She  sighed.  Pamela  just  then  was  a  picture  of 
engaging  humility. 

"  It  is  so  hard  for  me,"  she  murmured.  "  I  do 
not  want  to  marry  yet.  I  do  not  wish  to  think  of 
it.  And  so  far  as  you  are  concerned,  Mr.  Fischer 
—  well,  I  am  simply  furious  when  I  think  of  your 
attitude  last  night.  But  I  love  adventures." 

"  I  will  promise  you  all  the  adventures  that  can 
be  crammed  into  your  life,"  he  urged. 

"  But  be  more  definite,"  she  persisted.  "  Where 
should  we  start?  You  are  over  here  now  on  some 
important  mission.  Tell  me  more  about  it?  " 

"  I  cannot  just  yet,"  he  answered.  *'  All  that  I 
can  promise  you  is  that,  if  I  am  successful,  it  will 


i4o  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

stop  the  war  just  as  surely  as  Captain  Graham's  new 
explosive." 

"  I  thought  you  were  going  to  make  a  confidante 
of  me,"  she  complained. 

He  suddenly  gripped  her  arm.  It  was  the  first 
time  he  had  touched  her,  and  she  felt  a  queer  surging 
of  the  blood  to  her  head,  a  sudden  and  almost  uncon- 
trollable repulsion.  The  touch  of  his  long  fingers 
was  like  flame;  his  eyes,  behind  their  sheltering 
spectacles,  glowed  in  a  curious,  disconcerting  fash- 
ion. 

"  To  the  woman  who  was  my  pledged  wife,"  he 
said,  "  I  would  tell  everything.  From  the  woman 
who  gave  me  her  hand  and  became  my  ally  I  would 
have  no  secrets.  Come,  I  have  a  message,  more 
than  a  message,  to  the  American  people.  I  am  tak- 
ing it  to  Washington  before  many  hours  have  passed. 
If  it  is  your  will,  it  should  be  you  to  whom  I  will 
deliver  it." 

Pamela  walked  on  with  her  head  in  the  air. 
Fischer  was  leaning  a  little  towards  her.  Every 
now  and  then  his  mouth  twitched  slightly.  His  eyes 
seemed  to  be  seeking  to  reach  the  back  of  her  brain. 

"  Please  go  now,"  she  begged.  "  I  can't  think 
clearly  while  you  are  here,  and  I  want  to  make  up 
my  mind.  I  will  send  to  you  when  I  am  ready." 


CHAPTER  XVII 

Pamela  sat  that  afternoon  on  the  balcony  of  the 
country  club  at  Baltusrol  and  approved  of  her  sur- 
roundings. Below  her  stretched  a  pleasant  vista  of 
rolling  greensward,  dotted  here  and  there  with  the 
figures  of  the  golfers.  Beyond,  the  misty  blue  back- 
ground of  rising  hills. 

"  I  can't  tell  you  how  peaceful  this  all  seems, 
Jimmy,"  she  said  to  her  brother,  who  had  brought 
her  out  in  his  automobile.  "  One  doesn't  notice  the 
air  of  strain  over  on  the  Continent,  because  it's  the 
same  everywhere,  but  it  gets  a  little  on  one's  nerves, 
all  the  same.  I  positively  love  it  here." 

"  It's  fine  to  have  you,"  was  the  hearty  response. 
"  Gee,  that  fellow  coming  to  the  sixteenth  hole  can 
play  some !  " 

Pamela  directed  her  attention  idly  towards  the 
figure  which  her  brother  indicated  —  a  man  in  light 
tweeds,  who  played  with  an  easy  and  graceful 
swing,  and  with  the  air  of  one  to  whom  the  game 
presented  no  difficulties  whatever.  She  watched  him 
drive  for  the  seventeenth  —  a  long,  raking  ball,  fully 
fifty  yards  further  than  his  opponent's  —  watched 
him  play  a  perfect  mashie  shot  to  the  green  and  hole 
out  in  three. 

"  A  birdie,"  James  Van  Teyl  murmured.  "  I  say, 
Pamela ! " 


142  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

She  took  no  notice.  Her  eyes  were  still  follow- 
ing the  figure  of  the  golfer.  She  watched  him  drive 
at  the  last  hole,  play  a  chip  shot  on  to  the  green, 
and  hit  the  hole  for  a  three.  The  frown  deepened 
upon  her  forehead.  She  was  looking  very  uncom- 
promising when  the  two  men  ascended  the  steps. 

"  I  didn't  know,  Mr.  Lutchester,  that  there  were 
any  factories  down  this  way,"  she  remarked  severely, 
as  he  paused  before  her  in  surprise. 

For  a  single  moment  she  fancied  that  she  saw  a 
flash  of  annoyance  in  his  eyes.  It  was  gone  so 
swiftly,  however,  that  she  remained  uncertain.  He 
held  out  his  hand,  laughing. 

"  Fairly  caught  out,  Miss  Van  Teyl,"  he  con- 
fessed. "  You  see,  I  was  tempted,  and  I  fell." 

His  companion,  an  elerly,  clean-shaven  man, 
passed  on.  Pamela  glanced  after  him. 

"  Who  is  your  opponent  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Just  some  one  I  picked  up  on  the  tee,"  Lut- 
chester explained.  "^low  is  our  friend  Fischer  this 
morning?  " 

"  I  walked  with  him  for  an  hour  in  the  Park," 
Pamela  replied.  "  He  seemed  quite  cheerful.  I 
have  scarcely  thanked  you  yet  for  returning  the 
pocketbook,  have  I  ?  " 

His  face  was  inscrutable. 

"  Couldn't  keep  a  thing  that  didn't  belong  to  me, 
could  I?  "  he  observed. 

"  You  have  a  marvellous  gift  for  discovering  lost 
property,"  she  murmured. 

"  For  discovering  the  owners,  you  mean,"  he  re- 
torted, with  a  little  bow. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  143 

'*  You're  some  golfer,  I  see,  Mr.  Lutchester,"  Van 
Teyl  interposed. 

"  I  was  on  my  game  to-day,"  Lutchester  admitted. 
"  With  a  little  luck  at  the  seventh,"  he  continued 
earnestly,  "  I  might  have  tied  the  amateur  record. 
You  see,  my  ball  —  but  there,  I  mustn't  bore  you 
now.  I  must  look  after  my  opponent  and  stand  him 
a  drink.  We  shall  meet  again,  I  daresay." 

Lutchester  passed  on,  and  Pamela  glanced  up  at 
her  brother. 

"  Is  he  a  sphinx  or  a  fool?  "  she  whispered. 

"  Don't  ask  me,"  Van  Teyl  replied.  "  Seems  to 
me  you  were  a  bit  rough  on  him,  anyway.  I  don't 
see  why  the  fellow  shouldn't  have  a  day's  holiday 
before  he  gets  to  work.  If  I  had  his  swing,  it 
would  interfere  with  my  career,  I  know  that,  well 
enough." 

"  Did  you  recognise  the  man  with  whom  he  was 
playing?  "  Pamela  inquired. 

"  Can't  say  that  I  did.  His  face  seems  familiar, 
too."  ' 

"  Go  and  see  if  you  can  find  out  his  name,"  Pamela 
begged.  "  It  isn't  ordinary  curiosity.  I  really 
want  to  know." 

"  That's  easy  enough,"  Van  Teyl  replied,  rising 
from  his  place.  "  And  I'll  order  tea  at  the  same 
time." 

Pamela  leaned  a  little  further  back  in  her  chair. 
Her  eyes  seemed  to  be  fixed  upon  the  pleasant  pros- 
pect of  wooded  slopes  and  green,  upward-stretching 
sward.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  she  saw  only  two  faces 
—  Fischer's  and  Lutchester's.  Her  chief  impulse  in 


144  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

life  for  the  immediate  present  seemed  to  have  re- 
solved itself  into  a  fierce,  almost  a  passionate  curios- 
ity. It  was  the  riddle  of  those  two  brains  which 
she  was  so  anxious  to  solve.  .  .  .  Fischer,  the 
cold,  subtle  intriguer,  with  schemes  at  the  back  of 
his  mind  which  she  knew  quite  well  that,  even  in 
the  moment  of  his  weakness,  he  intended  to  keep  to 
himself;  and  Lutchester,  with  his  almost  cynical  de- 
votion to  pleasure,  yet  with  his  unaccountable  habit 
of  suggesting  a  strength  and  qualities  to  which  he 
neither  laid  nor  established  any  claim.  Of  the  two 
men  it  was  Lutchester  who  piqued  her,  with  whom 
she  would  have  found  more  pleasure  in  the  battle  of 
wits.  She  found  herself  alternately  furious  and 
puzzled  with  him,  yet  her  uneasiness  concerning 
him  possessed  more  disquieting,  more  fascinating 
possibilities  than  any  of  the  emotions  inspired  by 
the  other  man. 

Van  Teyl  returned  to  her  presently,  a  little  im- 
pressed. 

"  Thought  I  knew  that  chap's  face,"  he  observed. 
*'  It's  Eli  Hamblin  —  Senator  Hamblin,  you  know." 

"  A  friend  and  confidant  of  the  President,"  she 
murmured.  "  A  Westerner,  too.  I  wonder  what 
he's  doing  here  .  .  .  Jimmy ! " 

"Hallo,  Sis?" 

"  You've  just  got  to  be  a  dear,"  Pamela  begged. 
"  Go  to  the  caddy  master,  or  professional,  or  some 
one,  and  find  out  whether  Mr.  Lutchester  met  him 
here  by  accident  or  whether  they  arrived  together." 

"You'll  turn  me  into  a  regular  sleuthhound,"  he 
laughed.  "  However,  here  goes." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  145 

He  strolled  off  again,  and  Pamela  found  herself 
forced  to  become  mundane  and  frivolous  whilst  she 
chatted  with  some  newly-arrived  acquaintances. 
It  was  not  until  some  little  time  after  her  brother's 
return  that  she  found  herself  alone  with  him. 

"  Well  ?  "  she  asked  eagerly. 

"  They  arrived  within  a  few  minutes  of  one  an- 
other," Van  Teyl  announced.  "  Senator  Hamblin 
bought  a  couple  of  new  balls  and  made  some  in- 
quiries about  the  course,  but  said  nothing  about 
playing.  Lutchester,  who  appears  not  to  have 
known  him,  came  up  later  and  asked  him  if  he'd  like 
a  game.  That's  all  I  could  find  out." 

Pamela  pointed  to  a  little  cloud  of  dust  in  the 
distance. 

"  And  there  they  go,"  she  observed,  "  together." 

Van  Teyl  threw  himself  into  a  chair  and  accepted 
the  cup  of  tea  which  his  sister  handed  him. 

"  Well,"  he  inquired,  "  what  do  you  make  of 
it?  " 

"  There's  more  in  that  question  than  you  think, 
James,"  Pamela  replied.  "  All  the  same,  I  think  I 
shall  be  able  to  answer  it  in  a  few  days." 

Another  little  crowd  of  acquaintances  discovered 
them,  and  Pamela  was  soon  surrounded  by  a  fresh 
group  of  admirers.  They  all  went  out  presently  to 
inspect  the  new  tennis  courts.  Pamela  and  her 
brother  were  beset  with  invitations. 

"  You  positively  must  stay  down  and  dine  with  us, 
and  go  home  by  moonlight,"  Mrs.  Saunders,  a 
lively  young  matron  with  a  large  country  house  close 
by,  insisted.  "  Jimmy's  neglected  me  terribly  these 


146  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

last  few  months,  and  as  for  you,  Pamela,  I  haven't 
seen  you  for  a  year." 

"  I'd  love  to  if  we  can,"  Pamela  assured  her,  "  but 
Jimmy  will  have  to  telephone  first." 

"  Then  do  be  quick  about  it,"  Mrs.  Saunders 
begged.  "  It  doesn't  matter  a  bit  about  clothes. 
We've  twenty  people  staying  in  the  house  now,  and 
half  of  us  won't  change,  if  that  makes  you  more 
comfortable.  Jimmy,  if  you  fail  at  that  telephone 
I'll  never  forgive  you." 

But  Van  Teyl,  who  had  caught  the  little  motion 
of  his  sister's  head  towards  the  city,  proved  equal 
to  the  occasion.  He  returned  presently,  driving  the 
car. 

"  Got  to  go,"  he  announced  as  he  made  his  fare- 
wells. "  Can't  be  helped,  Pamela.  Frightfully 
sorry,  Mrs.  Saunders,  we  are  wanted  up  in  New 
York." 

Pamela  sighed. 

"  I  was  so  afraid  of  it,"  she  regretted  as  she  waved 
her  adieux.  .  .  . 

An  hour  or  so  later  the  city  broke  before  them  in 
murky  waves.  Pamela,  who  had  been  leaning  back 
in  the  car,  deep  in  thought,  sat  up. 

"  You  are  a  perfect  dear,  James,"  she  said.  "  Do 
you  think  you  could  stand  having  Mr.  Fischer  to 
dinner  one  evening  this  week?  " 

"  Sure  1 "  he  replied,  a  little  curiously.  "  If  you 
want  to  keep  friends  with  him  for  any  reason,  I 
don't  bear  him  any  ill-will." 

"  I  just  want  to  talk  to  him,"  Pamela  murmured, 
"  that's  all." 


There  was  a  ripple  of  interest  and  a  good  deal  of 
curiosity  that  afternoon,  in  the  lounge  and  entrance 
hall  of  the  Hotel  Plaza,  when  a  tall,  grey-moustached 
gentleman  of  military  bearing  descended  from  the 
automobile  which  had  brought  him  from  the  station, 
and  handed  in  his  name  at  the  desk,  inquiring  for 
Mr.  Fischer. 

"  Will  you  send  my  name  up  —  the  Baron  von 
Schwerin,"  he  directed. 

The  clerk,  who  had  recognised  the  newcomer,  took 
him  under  his  personal  care. 

"  Mr.  Fischer  is  up  in  his  rooms,  expecting  you, 
Baron,"  he  announced.  "  If  you'll  come  this  way, 
I'll  take  you  up." 

The  Baron  followed  his  guide  to  the  lift  and  along 
the  corridor  to  the  suite  of  rooms  occupied  by  Mr. 
Fischer  and  his  young  friend,  James  Van  Teyl.  Mr. 
Fischer  himself  opened  the  door.  The  two  men 
clasped  hands  cordially,  and  the  clerk  discreetly 
withdrew. 

"  Back  with  us  once  more,  Fischer,"  Von 
Schwerin  exclaimed  fervently.  "  You  are  wonderful. 
Tell  me,"  he  added,  looking  around,  "  we  are  to  be 
alone  here  ?  " 

"  Absolutely,"  Fischer  replied.     "  The  young  man 


148  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

I  share  these  apartments  with  —  James  Van  Teyl  — 
has  taken  his  sister  out  to  Baltusrol.  They  will 
not  be  back  until  seven  o'clock.  We  are  sure  of 
solitude." 

"  Good !  "  Von  Schwerin  exclaimed.  "  And  you 
have  news  —  I  can  see  it  in  your  face." 

Fischer  rolled  up  easy  chairs  and  produced  a  box 
of  cigars. 

"  Yes,"  he  assented,  with  a  little  glitter  in  his 
eyes,  "  I  have  news.  Things  have  moved  with  me. 
I  think  that,  with  the  help  of  an  idiotic  English- 
man, we  shall  solve  the  riddle  of  what  our  pro- 
fessors have  called  the  consuming  explosive.  I  sent 
the  formula  home  to  Germany,  by  a  trusty  hand, 
only  a  few  hours  ago." 

"  Capital !  "  Von  Schwerin  declared.  "  It  was  ar- 
ranged in  London,  that  ?  " 

"  Partly  in  London  and  partly  here,"  Fischer 
replied. 

Von  Schwerin  made  a  grimace. 

"  If  you  can  find  those  who  are  willing  to  help 
you  here,  you  are  fortunate  indeed,"  he  sighed. 
"  My  life's  work  has  lain  amongst  these  people.  In 
the  days  of  peace,  all  seemed  favourable  to  us. 
Since  the  war,  even  those  people  whom  I  thought  my 
friends  seem  to  have  lost  their  heads,  to  have  lost 
their  reasoning  powers." 

"  After  all,"  Fischer  muttered,  "  it  is  race  calling 
to  race.  But  come,  we  have  more  direct  business 
on  hand.  Nikasti  is  here." 

Von  Schwerin  nodded  a  little  gloomily. 

"  Washington  knows  nothing  of  his  coming,"  he 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  149 

observed.  "  I  attended  the  Baron  Yung's  reception 
last  week,  informally.  I  threw  out  very  broad  hints, 
but  Yung  would  not  be  drawn.  Nikasti  represents 
the  Secret  Service  of  Japan,  unofficially  and  without 
responsibility." 

"  Nevertheless,"  Fischer  pointed  out,  "  what  he 
says  will  reach  the  ear  of  his  country,  and  reach 
it  quickly.  You've  gone  through  the  papers  I  sent 
you?" 

"  Carefully,"  Von  Schwerin  replied.  "  And  the 
autograph  letter?  " 

"  That  I  have,"  Fischer  announced.  "  I  will  fetch 
Nikasti." 

He  crossed  the  room  and  opened  the  door  leading 
into  the  bedchambers. 

"  Are  you  there,  Kato  ?  "  he  cried. 

"  I  am  coming,  sir,"  was  the  instant  reply. 

Nikasti  appeared,  a  few  moments  later.  He  was 
carrying  a  dress  coat  on  his  arm,  and  he  held  a 
clothes  brush  in  his  hand.  It  was  obvious  that  he 
had  studied  with  nice  care  the  details  of  his  new 
part. 

"  You  can  sit  down,  Nikasti,"  Fischer  invited. 
"  This  is  the  Baron  von  Schwerin.  He  has  some- 
thing to  say  to  you." 

Nikasti  bowed  very  low.  He  declined  the  chair, 
however,  to  which  Fischer  pointed. 

"  I  am  your  valet  and  the  valet  of  Mr.  Van  Teyl," 
he  murmured.  "  It  is  not  fitting  for  me  to  be  seated. 
I  listen." 

Von  Schwerin  drew  his  chair  a  little  nearer. 

"  I  plunge  at  once,"  he  said,  "  into  the  middle  of 


I5o  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

things.  There  is  always  the  fear  that  we  may  be 
disturbed." 

Nikasti  inclined  his  head. 

"  It  is  best,"  he  agreed. 

"  You  are  aware,"  Von  Schwerin  continued,  "  that 
the  Imperial  Government  of  Germany  has  already 
made  formal  overtures,  through  a  third  party,  to  the 
Emperor  of  Japan  with  reference  to  an  alteration  in 
our  relations?  " 

"  There  was  talk  of  this  in  Tokio,"  Nikasti  ob- 
served softly.  "  Japan,  however,  is  under  obliga- 
tions —  treaty  obligations.  Her  honour  demands 
that  these  should  be  kept." 

"  The  honour  of  a  country,"  Baron  von  Schwerin 
acknowledged,  "  is,  without  doubt,  a  sacred  charge 
upon  her  rulers,  but  above  all  things  in  heaven  or  on 
earth,  the  interests  of  her  people  must  be  their  first 
consideration.  If  a  time  should  come  when  the  two 
might  seem  to  clash,  then  it  is  the  task  of  the  states- 
man to  recognise  this  fact." 

Nikasti  bowed. 

"  It  is  spoken,"  he  confessed,  "  like  a  great  man." 

"  Your  country,"  Von  Schwerin  continued,  "  is  at 
war  with  mine  because  it  seemed  to  her  rulers  that 
her  interests  lay  with  the  Allies  rather  than  with 
Germany.  I  will  admit  that  my  country  was  at 
fault.  We  did  not  recognise  to  its  full  extent  the 
value  of  friendship  with  Japan.  We  did  not  bid 
high  enough  for  your  favours.  Asia  concerned  us 
very  little.  We  looked  upon  the  destruction  of  our 
interests  there  in  the  same  spirit  as  that  with  which 
we  contemplated  the  loss  of  our  colonies.  All  that 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  151 

might  happen  would  be  temporary.  Our  influence 
in  Asia,  our  colonies,  will  remain  with  us  or  perish, 
according  to  the  result  of  the  war  in  Europe.  But 
our  statesmen  overlooked  one  thing." 

"  Our  factories,"  Nikasti  murmured. 

"  Precisely !  We  have  had  our  agents  all  over  the 
world  for  years.  Some  are  good,  a  few  are  easily 
deceived.  There  is  no  country  in  the  world  where 
apparently  so  much  liberty  is  granted  to  foreign- 
ers as  in  Japan.  There  is  no  country  where 
the  capacity  for  manufacture  and  output  has 
been  so  grossly  underestimated  by  our  agents,  as 
yours." 

Nikasti  smiled. 

"  I  had  something  to  do  with  that,"  he  announced. 
"  It  was  Karl  Neumann,  was  it  not,  on  whom  you 
relied  ?  I  supplied  him  with  much  information." 

Von  Schwerin's  face  clouded  for  a  moment. 

"  You  mean  that  you  fooled  him,  I  suppose,"  he 
said.  "  Well,  it  is  all  part  of  the  game.  That  is 
over  now.  We  want  your  exports  to  Russia 
stopped." 

"  Ah ! "  Nikasti  murmured  reflectively.  "  Stopped ! " 

"  We  ask  no  favours,"  Von  Schwerin  continued. 
"  The  issue  of  the  war  is  written  across  the  face  of 
the  skies  for  those  who  care  to  read." 

Nikasti  looked  downwards  at  the  dress  coat  which 
he  was  carrying.  Then  he  glanced  up  at  Von 
Schwerin. 

"  Perhaps  our  eyes  have  been  dazzled,"  he  said. 
"  Will  you  not  interpret  ?  " 

"  The  end  of  the  war  will  be  a  peace  of  exhaus- 


152  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

tion,"  Von  Schwerin  explained.  "  Our  loftier  dreams 
of  conquest  we  must  abandon.  Germany  has  played 
her  part,  but  Austria,  alas !  has  failed.  Peace  will 
leave  us  all  very  much  where  we  were.  Very  well, 
then,  I  ask  you,  what  has  Japan  gained?  You 
answer  China?  I  deny  it.  Yet  even  if  it  were  true, 
it  will  take  you  five  hundred  years  to  make  a  great 
country  of  China.  Suppose  for  a  moment  you  had 
been  on  the  other  side.  What  about  Australia? 
.  .  .  New  Zealand?" 

"Are  those  things  under  present  consideration?  " 
Nikasti  queried. 

"Why  not?"  Von  Schwerin  replied.  "Listen. 
Close  your  exports  to  Russia  within  the  next  thirty 
days.  Build  up  for  yourselves  a  stock  of  ammuni- 
tion, add  to  your  fleet,  and  prepare.  Within  a  year 
of  the  cessation  of  war,  there  is  no  reason  why  your 
national  dream  should  not  be  realised.  Your  fleet 
may  sail  for  San  Francisco.  The  German  fleet  shall 
make  a  simultaneous  attack  upon  the  eastern  coast 
of  Massachusetts  and  New  York." 

"  The  German  fleet,"  Nikasti  repeated.  "  And 
England?  " 

Von  Schwerin's  eyes  flashed  for  a  moment. 

"  If  the  English  fleet  is  still  in  being,"  he  declared, 
"  it  will  be  a  crippled  and  defeated  fleet,  but,  for  the 
sake  of  your  point  of  view,  I  will  assume  that  it 
exists.  Even  then  there  will  be  nothing  to  prevent 
the  German  fleet  from  steaming  in  what  waters  it 
pleases.  If  our  shells  fall  upon  New  York  on  the 
day  when  your  warships  are  sighted  off  the  Cali- 
fornian  coast,  do  you  suppose  that  America  could 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  153 

resist?  With  her  seaboard,  her  fleet  is  contemptible. 
For  her  wealth,  her  army  is  a  farce.  She  has  neg- 
lected for  a  great  many  years  to  pay  her  national 
insurance.  She  is  the  one  country  in  the  world  who 
can  be  bled  for  the  price  of  empires." 

Fischer,  who  had  been  smoking  furiously,  spat 
out  the  end  of  a  fresh  cigar. 

"  It  will  be  a  just  retribution,"  he  interposed,  with 
smothered  fierceness.  "  Under  the  guise  of  neu- 
trality, America  has  been  responsible  for  the  lives 
of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  my  countrymen.  That 
we  never  can,  we  never  shall,  forget.  The  wealth 
which  makes  these  people  fat  is  blood-money,  and 
Germany  will  take  her  vengeance." 

"  For  whom  do  you  speak?  "  Nikasti  inquired. 

Von  Schwerin  rose  from  his  place. 

"  For  the  greatest  of  all." 

"  Do  I  take  anything  but  words  to  Tokio?"  the 
Japanese  asked  softly. 

Fischer  unfolded  a  pocketbook  and  drew  from  it 
a  parchment  envelope. 

"  You  take  this  letter,"  he  said,  "  which  I  brought 
over  myself  from  Berlin,  signed  and  written  not  more 
than  three  weeks  ago.  I  ask  you  to  believe  in  no 
vague  promises.  I  bring  you  the  pledged  faith  of 
the  greatest  ruler  on  earth.  What  do  you  say, 
Nikasti?  Will  you  accept  our  mission?  Will  you 
go  back  to  Tokio  and  see  the  Emperor  ?  " 

Nikasti  bowed. 

"  I  will  go  back,"  he  promised.  "  I  will  sail  as 
soon  as  I  can  make  arrangements.  But  I  cannot 
tell  you  what  the  issue  may  be.  We  Japanese  are 


154  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

not  a  self-seeking  nation.  Above  and  higher  than 
all  things  are  our  ideals  and  our  honour.  I  cannot 
tell  what  answer  our  Sovereign  may  give  to  this." 

"  These  are  the  days  when  the  truest  patriotism 
demands  the  most  sublime  sacrifices,"  Von  Schwerin 
declared.  "  Above  all  the  ethics  of  individuals  comes 
the  supreme  necessity  of  self-preservation." 

The  Japanese  smiled  slightly. 

"  Ah ! "  he  said,  "  there  speaks  the  philosophy  of 
your  country,  Baron,  the  paean  of  materialism." 

"  The  destinies  of  nations,"  Baron  von  Schwerin 
exclaimed,  "  are  above  the  man-made  laws  of  a  sen- 
timental religion!  One  needs,  nowadays,  more  than 
to  survive.  It  is  necessary  to  flourish." 

Nikasti  stood  suddenly  to  attention. 

"  It  is  Mr.  Van  Teyl  who  returns,"  he  warned 
them. 

He  glided  from  the  room,  shaking  out  a  little  the 
dress  coat  which  he  had  been  carrying.  The  two 
men  looked  after  him.  Fischer  threw  his  cigar 
savagely  away  and  lit  another. 

"  Curse  these  orientals !  "  he  muttered.  "  They 
listen  and  listen,  and  one  never  knows.  Van  Teyl 
won't  be  here  for  hours.  That  was  just  an  excuse 
to  get  away." 

But  there  was  a  smile  of  triumph  on  Von 
Schwerin's  lips. 

"  I  know  them  better  than  you  do,  Fischer,"  he 
declared.  "  Nikasti  is  our  man !  " 


CHAPTER  XIX 

High  up  in  one  of  the  topmost  chambers  of  the 
Hotel  Plaza,  Nikasti,  after  his  conference  with  Von 
Schwerin  and  Fischer,  sought  solitude.  He  opened 
the  high  windows,  out  of  which  he  could  scarcely  see, 
dragged  up  a  chest  of  drawers  and  perched  himself, 
Oriental  fashion,  on  the  top,  his  long  yellow  fingers 
intertwined  around  his  knees,  his  soft  brown  eyes 
gazing  over  the  wooded  slopes  of  the  Park.  He  was 
away  from  the  clamour  of  tongues,  from  the  poisoned 
clouds  of  sophistry,  even  from  the  disturbance  of  his 
own  thoughts,  incited  by  specious  arguments  to  some 
form  of  reciprocity.  Here  he  sat  in  the  clouds  and 
searched  for  the  true  things.  His  eyes  seemed  to 
be  travelling  over  the  battlefields  of  Europe.  He 
saw  the  swaying  fortunes  of  mighty  armies,  he  looked 
into  council  chambers,  he  seemed  to  feel  the  pulses  of 
the  great  world  force  which  kept  going  this  most 
amazing  Juggernaut.  He  saw  the  furnaces  of 
Japan,  blazing  by  night  and  day ;  saw  the  forms  of 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  his  fellow  creatures  bent 
to  their  task ;  saw  the  streams  of  ships  leaving  his 
ports,  laden  down  with  stores;  saw  the  great  guns 
speeding  across  Siberia,  the  endless  trains  of  ammu- 
nition, the  rifles,  food  for  the  famine-stricken  giants 
who  beat  upon  the  air  with  empty  fists.  He  saw  the 
gold  come  streaming  back.  He  saw  it  poured  into 


156  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

the  banks,  the  pockets  of  the  merchants,  the  homes  of 
his  people.  He  saw  brightening  days  throughout 
the  land.  He  saw  the  slow  but  splendid  strength  of 
the  nation  rejoicing  in  its  new  possibilities.  And 
beyond  that,  what?  Wealth  was  the  great  means 
towards  the  great  end,  but  if  the  great  end  were  once 
lost  sight  of,  there  was  no  more  hideous  poison  than 
that  stream  of  enervating  prosperity.  He  remem- 
bered his  own  diatribes  concerning  the  decadence  of 
England;  how  he  had  pointed  to  the  gold  poison,  to 
the  easy  living  of  the  poor,  the  blatant  luxury  of  the 
rich.  He  had  pointed  to  the  soft  limbs,  the  cities 
which  had  become  pools  of  sensuality,  to  the  daily 
life  which,  calling  for  no  effort,  had  seen  the  passing 
of  the  spirit  and  the  triumph  of  the  gross.  And 
what  about  his  own  people?  Mankind  was  the  same 
the  world  over.  The  gold  which  was  bringing 
strength  and  life  to  the  nation  might  very  soon  exude 
the  same  poisonous  fumes,  might  very  soon  be  laying 
its  thrall  upon  a  people  to  whom  living  had  become 
an  easier  thing.  However  it  might  be  for  other, 
the  Western  nations,  for  his  own  he  firmly  believed 
that  war  alone,  with  its  thousand  privations,  its  call 
to  the  chivalry  of  his  people,  was  the  one  great  safe- 
guard. China!  The  days  had  gone  by  when  the 
taking  of  China  could  inspire.  It  was  to  greater 
things  they  must  look.  Australia.  New  Zealand! 
Had  any  Western  race  the  right  to  flaunt  her  Em- 
pire's flag  in  Asiatic  seas  ?  And  America !  Once 
again  he  felt  the  slow  rising  of  wrath  as  he  recalled 
the  insults  of  past  years  .  .  .  the  adventurous 
sons  of  his  country  treated  like  savages  and  negroes 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  157 

by  that  uncultured,  strong-limbed  race  of  coarse- 
fibered,  unimaginative  materialists.  There  was  a 
call,  indeed,  to  the  soul  of  his  country  to  avenge,  to 
make  safe,  the  homes  and  lives  of  her  colonists. 
Across  the  seas  he  looked  into  the  council  chambers 
of  the  wise  men  of  his  race.  He  saw  the  men  whose 
word  would  tell.  He  watched  their  faces  turned  to- 
wards him,  waiting;  heard  the  beginning  of  the  con- 
flict of  thoughts  and  minds  —  blind  fidelity  to  the 
cause  which  they  had  espoused,  or  a  rougher,  more 
splendid,  more  selfish  stroke  for  the  greatness  of 
Japan  and  Japan  only.  "  If  we  break  our  faith  we 
lose  our  honour,"  one  murmured.  "  There  is  no 
honour  save  the  care  of  my  people,"  he  heard  one  of 
his  greatest  countrymen  reply. 

So  he  sat  and  thought,  revolved  in  his  mind  argu- 
ments, morals,  philosophy.  It  was  the  problem 
which  had  confronted  the  great  Emperor,  his  own 
ancestor,  who  had  lived  for  three  months  on  the 
floor  of  the  Temple,  asking  but  one  question  of  the 
Silent  Powers :  "  Through  what  gate  shall  I  lead 
my  nation  to  greatness  ?  " 

The  senses  of  the  man  who  crouched  in  his 
curious  attitude,  with  his  eyes  still  piercing  the 
heavens,  were  mobile  and  extraordinary  things.  No 
disturbing  sounds  had  reached  him  from  outside. 
His  isolation  seemed  complete  and  impregnable. 
Yet,  without  turning  his  head,  he  was  perfectly 
conscious  of  the  slow  opening  of  the  door.  His 
whole  frame  stiffened.  He  was  conscious  for  one 
bitter  second  of  a  lapse  from  the  careful  guarding 
of  his  ways.  That  second  passed,  however,  and  left 


158  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

him  prepared  even  for  danger,  his  brain  and  muscles 
alike  tense.  He  turned  his  head.  The  expression 
of  slow  surprise,  which  even  parted  his  lips  and  nar- 
rowed his  eyes,  was  only  half  assumed. 

"  What  do  you  wish?  "  he  asked. 

Lutchester  did  not  for  a  moment  reply.  He  had 
closed  the  door  behind  him  carefully,  and  was  looking 
around  the  room  now  with  evident  interest.  Its 
bareness  of  furniture  and  decoration  were  note- 
worthy, but  on  the  top  of  the  ugly  chest  of  drawers 
was  a  great  bowl  of  roses,  a  queer  little  ivory  figure 
set  in  an  arched  frame  of  copper  —  a  figure  almost 
sacerdotal,  with  its  face  turned  towards  the  east  — 
and  a  little  shower  of  rose  leaves,  which  could 
scarcely  have  fallen  there  by  accident,  at  the  foot  of 
the  pedestal.  Lutchester  inclined  his  head  gravely, 
as  he  looked  towards  it,  a  gesture  entirely  rever- 
ential, almost  an  obeisance.  Nikasti's  eyes  were 
clouded  with  curiosity.  He  slipped  down  to  the 
ground. 

"  I  have  travelled  in  your  country,"  Lutchester 
said  gravely,  as  though  in  explanation.  "  I  have 
visited  your  temples.  I  may  say  that  I  have  prayed 
there." 

"  And  now?  "  Nikasti  asked. 

"I  am  for  my  country  what  you  are  for  yours," 
Lutchester  proceeded.  "  You  see,  I  know  when  it 
is  best  to  speak  the  truth.  I  am  in  New  York 
because  you  are  in  New  York,  and  if  you  leave  on 
Saturday  for  Japan  it  may  happen  —  of  this  I  am 
not  sure  —  but  I  say  that  it  may  happen  that  I  shall 
accompany  you." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  159 

"  I  shall  be  much  honoured,"  Nikasti  murmured. 

"  You  came  here,"  Lutchester  continued,  "  to  meet 
an  emissary  from  Berlin.  Your  country,  which 
'could  listen  to  no  official  word  from  any  one  of 
her  official  enemies,  can  yet,  through  you,  learn  what 
is  in  their  minds.  You  have  seen  to-day  Fischer 
and  the  Baron  von  Schwerin.  Fischer  has  probably 
presented  to  you  the  letter  which  he  has  brought 
from  Berlin.  Von  Schwerin  has  expounded  further 
the  proposition  and  the  price  which  form  part  of  his 
offer." 

Nikasti's  face  was  imperturbable,  but  there  was 
trouble  in  his  eyes. 

"  You  have  found  your  way  to  much  knowledge," 
he  muttered. 

"  I  must  find  my  way  to  more.  I  must  know 
what  Germany  offers  you.  I  must  know  what  is  at 
the  back  of  your  mind  when  you  repeat  this  offer 
in  Tokio." 

"  You  can  make,  then,  the  unwilling  speak  ?  " 
Nikasti  demanded. 

"  Even  that  is  amongst  the  possibilities,"  Lut- 
chester affirmed.  "  Strange  things  have  been  done 
for  the  cause  which  such  as  you  and  I  revere." 

Nikasti  showed  his  white  teeth  for  a  moment  in 
a  smile  meant  to  be  contemptuous. 

"  It  is  a  great  riddle,  this,  which  we  toss  from 
one  to  the  other,"  he  observed.  "  I  am  the  simple 
valet  of  two  gentlemen  living  in  the  hotel.  You 
have  listened,  perhaps,  to  fairy  tales,  or  dreamed 
them  yourself,  sir." 

*'  It  is  no  fairy  tale,"  Lutchester  rejoined,  "  that 


i6o  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

you  are  Prince  Nikasti,  the  third  son  of  the  great 
Marquis  Ato,  that  you  and  I  met  more  than  once 
in  London  when  you  were  living  there  some  years 
ago;  that  you  travelled  through  our  country,  and 
drew  up  so  scathing  an  indictment  of  our  domestic 
and  industrial  position  that,  but  for  their  clumsy 
diplomacy,  your  country  would  probably  have  made 
overtures  to  Germany.  Ever  since  those  days  I 
have  wondered  about  you.  I  have  wondered 
whether  you  are  with  your  country  in  her  friend- 
ship towards  England." 

"  I  have  no  friends  but  my  country's  friends," 
Nikasti  declared,  "  no  enemies  save  her  enemies. 
But  to-day  those  things  of  which  you  have  spoken  do 
not  concern  me.  I  am  the  Japanese  valet  of  Mr. 
Fischer  and  Mr.  Van  Teyl." 

Lutchester,  as  though  by  accident,  came  a  step 
further  into  the  room.  Nikasti's  eyes  never  left  his 
face.  Perhaps  at  that  moment  each  knew  the  other's 
purpose,  though  their  tongues  clung  to  the  other 
things. 

"  Will  you  talk  to  me,  Japan?  "  Lutchester  asked 
calmly.  "  You  have  listened  to  Germany.  I  am 
England." 

"  If  you  have  anything  to  say,"  Nikasti  replied, 
"  Baron  Yung  is  at  Washington." 

"  You  and  I  know  well,"  Lutchester  continued, 
"  that  ambassadors  are  but  the  figureheads  in  the 
world's  history.  Speak  to  me  of  the  things  which 
concern  our  nations,  Nikasti.  Tell  me  of  the  letter 
you  bear  to  the  Emperor.  You  have  nothing  to  lose. 
Sit  down  and  talk  to  me,  man  to  man.  You  have 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  161 

heard  Germany.  Hear  England.  Tell  me  of  the 
promises  made  to  you  within  the  last  hour,  and  I 
will  show  you  how  they  can  never  be  kept.  Let  us 
talk  of  your  country's  future.  You  and  I  can  tell 
one  another  much." 

"  A  valet  knows  nothing,"  Nikasti  murmured. 

Lutchester  came  a  step  nearer.  Nikasti,  in  re- 
treating, was  now  almost  in  a  corner  of  the  room. 

"  Listen,"  Lutchester  went  on,  "  for  many  years  I 
have  suspected  that  you  are  an  enemy  of  my  country. 
That  is  the  reason  why,  when  our  Intelligence  De- 
partment learnt  of  your  mission,  I  chose  to  come 
myself  to  meet  you.  And  now  we  meet,  Nikasti, 
face  to  face,  and  all  that  you  are  willing  to  do  for 
your  country,  I  am  willing  to  do  for  mine,  and  unless 
you  sit  down  and  talk  this  matter  out  with  me  as 
man  to  man,  you  will  not  leave  New  York." 

The  arm  of  the  Japanese  stole  with  the  most  per- 
fect naturalness  inside  his  coat,  and  Lutchester  knew 
then  that  the  die  was  cast.  The  line  of  blue  steel 
flashed  out  too  late.  The  hand  which  gripped  the 
strangely-shaped  little  knife  was  held  as  though  in 
a  vice,  and  Lutchester's  other  arm  was  suddenly 
thrown  around  the  neck  of  his  assailant,  his  fingers 
pressed  against  his  windpipe. 

"  Drop  the  knife,"  he  ordered. 

It  fell  clattering  on  to  the  hard  floor.  Nikasti, 
however,  twisted  himself  almost  free,  took  a  flying 
leap  sideways,  and  seized  his  adversary's  leg.  In 
another  moment  he  came  down  upon  the  floor  with  a 
crash.  Lutchester's  grip  upon  him,  a  little  crueller 
now,  was  like  a  band  of  steel. 


162  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  There  are  many  ways  of  playing  this  game.  It 
is  you  who  have  chosen  this  one,"  he  said.  "  It's  no 
use,  Nikasti.  I  know  as  much  of  your  own  science 
as  you  do.  You're  my  man  now  until  I  choose  to 
let  you  free,  and  before  I  do  that  I  am  going  to  read 
the  letter  which  you  are  taking  to  Japan." 

Nikasti's  eyes  were  red  with  fury,  but  every  move- 
ment was  torture.  Lutchester  held  him  easily  with 
one  hand,  felt  over  him  with  the  other,  drew  the 
letter  from  his  vest,  and,  shaking  it  free  from  its 
envelope,  held  it  out  and  read  it.  When  he  had 
finished,  he  replaced  it  in  the  envelope  and  pushed  it 
back  into  the  other's  breast  pocket. 

"  Now,"  he  directed,  "  you  can  get  up." 

Nikasti  scrambled  to  his  feet.  There  were  livid 
marks  under  his  eyes.  For  a  moment  he  had  lost 
all  his  vitality,  he  was  like  a  beaten  creature. 

"  You  would  never  have  done  this,"  he  muttered, 
"  ten  years  ago.  I  grow  old." 

"  So  that  is  the  letter  which  you  are  taking  to 
your  Emperor !  "  Lutchester  said.  "  You  think  it 
worth  while!  You  can  really  see  the  German  fleet 
steaming  past  the  British  Isles,  out  into  the  Atlantic, 
and  bombarding  New  York !  " 

Nikasti  made  no  reply.  Lutchester  looked  at  him 
for  a  moment  thoughtfully.  There  was  a  light  once 
more  in  the  beaten  man's  eyes  —  a  queer,  secretive 
gleam.  Lutchester  stooped  down  and  picked  up 
the  knife  from  the  floor. 

"Nikasti,"  he  enjoined,  "listen  to  me,  for  your 
country's  sake.  The  promise  contained  in  that 
letter  is  barely  worth  the  paper  it  is  written  on,  so 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  163 

long  as  the  British  fleet  remains  what  it  is.  But, 
apart  from  that,  I  tell  you  here,  of  my  own  profound 
conviction  —  and  I  will  prove  it  to  you  before  many 
days  are  past  —  Germany  does  not  intend  to  keep 
this  promise." 

Nikasti  made  no  reply.  His  face  was  ex- 
pressionless. 

"  Germany  has  but  one  idea,"  Lutchester  con- 
tinued. "  She  means  to  play  you  and  America  off 
against  one  another.  I  have  found  out  her  offer  to 
you.  All  I  can  say  is,  if  you  take  it  seriously  you 
are  not  the  man  I  think  you.  Now  I  will  tell  you 
what  I  am  going  to  do.  I  am  going  to  find  out  her 
offer  to  America.  I  will  bring  that  to  you,  and  you 
shall  see  the  two  side  by  side.  Then  you  shall  know 
how  much  you  can  rely  upon  a  country  whose  diplo- 
macy is  bred  and  bom  of  lies,  who  cheats  at  every 
move  of  the  game,  who  makes  you  a  deliberate  offer 
here  which  she  never  has  the  least  intention  of  keep- 
ing. Have  you  anything  to  say  to  me,  Ni- 
kasti?" 

Nikasti  raised  his  eyes  for  one  moment. 

"  I  have  nothing  to  say,"  he  replied.  "  I  am  the 
valet  of  Mr.  Fischer  and  Mr.  Van  Teyl.  These 
things  are  not  of  my  concern." 

Lutchester  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  Whatever  you  may  be,"  he  concluded,  "  and 
however  much  you  may  resent  all  that  has  happened, 
I  know  that  you  will  wait.  I  might  go  direct  to 
Washington,  but  I  prefer  to  come  to  you,  if  it  re- 
mains possible.  Before  you  leave  this  country  we 
will  meet  again,  and,  when  you  have  heard  me,  you 


164  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

will  tear  that  letter  which  you  are  treasuring  next 
your  heart  into  small  pieces." 

Lutchester  turned  and  left  the  room,  closing  the 
door  behind  him.  Nikasti  crouched  in  his  place 
without  movement.  The  ache  in  his  heart  seemed 
to  be  shining  out  of  his  face.  He  turned  slowly 
towards  the  little  figure  of  black  ivory,  his  head 
drooped  lower  —  he  was  filled  with  a  great  shame. 


CHAPTER  XX 

Fischer  raised  his  eyebrows  in  mild  surprise  to 
find  Nikasti  waiting  for  him  in  the  sitting  room  that 
evening,  with  his  overcoat  and  evening  hat.  He 
closed  the  door  of  the  bedroom  from  which  he  had 
issued  carefully  behind  him. 

"  You  don't  need  to  go  on  with  this  business  now 
that  we  have  had  our  little  talk,"  he  remonstrated. 

"  I  cannot  leave  until  the  twentieth,"  Nikasti  re- 
plied. "  I  think  it  best  that  I  remain  here.  Your 
cocktail,  sir." 

Fischer  accepted  the  glass  with  a  good-humoured 
little  laugh. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  "  I  suppose  you  know  what  you 
want  to  do,  but  it  seems  to  me  unnecessary.  Say, 
is  anything  wrong  with  you?  You  seem  shaken, 
somehow." 

*'  I  am  quite  well,"  Nikasti  declared  gravely.  "  I 
am  very  well  indeed." 

Fischer  stared  at  him  searchingly  from  behind  his 
spectacles. 

"  You  don't  look  it,"  he  observed.  "  If  you'll  take 
my  advice,  you'll  get  away  from  here  and  rest  some- 
where quietly  for  a  few  days.  Why  don't  you  try 
one  of  the  summer  hotels  on  Long  Island?  " 

Nikasti  shook  his  head. 


166  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  Until  I  sail,"  he  decided,  "  I  stay  here.  It  is 
better  so." 

"  You  know  best,  of  course,"  Fischer  replied. 
"Where's  Mr.  Van  Teyl?" 

"  He  has  gone  out  with  his  sister,  sir  —  the  young 
lady  in  the  next  suite,"  Nikasti  announced. 

Fischer  sighed  for  a  moment.  Then  he  finished 
his  cocktail,  drew  on  his  gloves,  and  turned  towards 
the  door. 

"  Well,  good  night,"  he  said.  "  Perhaps  you  are 
wise  to  stay  here.  Remember  always  what  it  is  that 
you  carry  about  with  you." 

"  I  shall  remember,"  Nikasti  promised. 

Fischer  entered  his  automobile  and  drove  to  a 
fashionable  restaurant  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Fifth 
Avenue.  Arrived  here,  he  made  his  way  to  a  room 
on  the  first  floor,  into  which  he  was  ushered  by  one 
of  the  head  waiters.  Von  Schwerin  was  already 
there,  talking  with  a  little  company  of  men. 

"Ah,  our  friend  Fischer!"  the  latter  exclaimed. 
"  That  makes  our  number  complete." 

A  waiter  handed  around  cocktails.  Fischer 
smiled  as  he  raised  his  glass  to  his  lips. 

"  It  is  something,  at  least,"  he  confided,  "  to  be 
back  in  a  country  where  one  can  speak  freely.  I 
raise  my  arm.  Von  Schwerin  and  gentlemen  —  *  To 
the  Fatherland ! '  " 

They  all  drank  fervently  and  with  a  little  guttural 
murmur.  Von  Schwerin  set  down  his  empty  glass. 
He  was  looking  a  little  glum. 

"  In  many  ways,  my  dear  Fischer,"  he  said,  "  one 
sympathises  with  that  speech  of  yours ;  but  the  truth 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  167 

is  best,  and  it  is  to  talk  truths  that  we  have  met  this 
evening.  We  are  gaining  no  ground  here.  I  am 
not  sure  that  we  are  not  losing." 

There  was  a  moment's  disturbed  and  agitated 
silence. 

"  It  is  bad  to  hear,"  one  little  man  acknowledged, 
with  a  sigh,  "but  who  can  doubt  it?  There  is  a 
fever  which  has  caught  hold  of  this  country,  which 
blazes  in  the  towns  and  smoulders  in  the  country 
places,  and  that  is  the  fever  of  money-making.  Men 
are  blinded  with  the  passion  of  it.  They  tell  me  that 
even  Otto  Schmidt  in  Milwaukee  has  turned  his 
great  factories  into  ammunition  works." 

Von  Schwerin's  eyes  flashed. 

"  Let  him  be  careful,"  he  muttered,  "  that  one 
morning  those  are  not  blackened  walls  upon  which 
he  looks !  We  go  to  dinner  now,  gentlemen,  and, 
until  we  are  alone  afterwards,  not  one  word  concern- 
ing the  great  things." 

The  partition  doors  leading  into  the  dining  room 
were  thrown  back  and  the  little  company  of  men 
sat  down  to  dine.  There  were  fourteen  of  them, 
and  their  names  were  known  throughout  the  world. 
There  was  a  steel  millionaire,  half-a-dozen  Wall 
Street  magnates,  a  clothing  manufacturer,  whose 
house  in  Fifth  Avenue  was  reputed  to  have  cost  two 
millions.  There  was  not  one  of  them  who  was  not 
a  patriot  —  to  Germany.  They  ate  and  drank 
through  the  courses  of  an  abnormally  long  dinner 
with  the  businesslike  thoroughness  of  their  race. 
When  at  last  the  coffee  and  liqueurs  had  been  served, 
the  waiters  by  prearrangement  disappeared,  and 


i68  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

with  a  little  flourish  Von  Schwerin  locked  the  door. 
Once  more  he  raised  his  glass. 

"  To  the  Kaiser  and  the  Fatherland !  "  he  cried  in 
a  voice  thick  with  emotion. 

For  a  moment  a  little  flash  of  something  almost 
like  spirituality  lightened  the  gathering.  They  were 
at  least  men  with  a  purpose,  and  an  unselfish  pur- 
pose. 

"  Oscar  Fischer,"  Von  Schwerin  said,  "  my 
friends,  all  of  you,  you  know  how  strenuous  my 
labours  have  been  during  the  last  year.  You  know 
that  three  times  the  English  Ambassador  has  almost 
demanded  my  recall,  and  three  times  the  matter  has 
hung  in  the  balance.  I  have  watched  events  in 
Washington,  not  through  my  own  but  through  a 
thousand  eyes.  My  fingers  are  on  the  pulse  of  the 
country,  so  what  I  say  to  you  needs  nothing  in  the 
way  of  substantiation.  The  truth  is  best.  ,  Not- 
withstanding all  my  efforts,  and  the  efforts  of  every 
one  of  you,  the  great  momentum  of  public  feeling, 
from  California  to  Massachusetts,  has  turned  slowly 
towards  the  cause  of  our  enemies.  Washington  is 
hopelessly  against  us.  The  huge  supplies  which 
leave  these  shores  day  by  day  for  England  and 
France  will  continue.  Fresh  plants  are  being  laid 
down  for  the  manufacture  of  weapons  and  ammuni- 
tion to  be  used  against  our  country.  The  hand  of 
diplomacy  is  powerless.  We  can  struggle  no  longer. 
Even  those  who  favour  our  cause  are  drunk  with 
the  joy  of  the  golden  harvest  they  are  reaping. 
This  country  has  spoken  once  and  for  all,  and  its 
voice  is  for  our  most  hated  enemy." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  169 

There  were  a  variety  of  guttural  and  sympathetic 
ejaculations.  A  dozen  earnest  faces  turned  towards 
Von  Schwerin. 

"  Diplomacy,"  Von  Schwerin  continued,  "  has 
failed.  We  come  to  the  next  step.  There  have  been 
isolated  acts  of  self-sacrifice,  splendid  in  themselves 
but  systemless.  Only  the  day  before  yesterday  a 
great  factory  at  Detroit  was  burned  to  the  ground, 
and  I  can  assure  you,  gentlemen,  I  who  know,  that 
a  thousand  bales  of  cloth,  destined  for  France,  lie  in 
a  charred  heap  amongst  the  ruins.  That  fire  was 
no  accident." 

There  was  a  brief  silence.  Fischer  nodded  ap- 
provingly. Von  Schwerin  filled  his  glass. 

"  This,"  he  went  on,  "  was  the  individual  act  of  a 
brave  and  faithful  patriot.  The  time  has  come  for 
us,  too,  to  remember  that  we  are  at  war.  I  have 
striven  for  you  with  the  weapons  of  diplomacy  and 
I  have  failed.  I  ask  you  now  to  face  the  situation 
with  me  —  to  make  use  of  the  only  means  left  to  us." 

No  one  hesitated.  Possibly  ruin  stared  them  in 
the  face,  but  not  one  flinched.  Their  heads  drew 
closer  together.  They  discussed  the  ways  and 
means  of  the  new  campaign. 

"  We  must  add  largely  to  our  numbers,"  Von 
Schwerin  said,  "  and  we  had  better  have  a  fund.  So 
far  as  regards  money,  I  take  it  for  granted  — " 

There  was  a  little  chorus  of  fierce  whispers.  Five 
million  dollars  were  subscribed  by  men  who  were  will- 
ing, if  necessary,  to  find  fifty. 

"  It  is  enough,"  their  leader  assured  them. 
**  Much  of  our  labours  will  be  amongst  those  to  whom 


170  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

money  is  no  object.  Only  remember,  all  of  you, 
this.  We  shall  be  a  society  without  a  written  word, 
with  no  roll  of  membership,  without  documents  or 
institution,  for  complicity  in  the  things  which  follow 
will  mean  ruin.  You  are  willing  to  face  that  ?  " 

Again  that  strange,  passionate  instinct  of  unanim- 
ity prevailed.  To  all  appearance  it  was  a  gather- 
ing of  commonplace,  commercialised  and  burgeois, 
easy-living  men,  but  the  touch  of  the  spirit  was 
there.  Fischer  leaned  a  little  forward. 

"  In  two  months'  time,"  he  said,  "  every  factory 
in  America  which  is  earning  its  blood  money  shall 
be  in  danger.  There  will  be  a  reign  of  terror. 
Each  State  will  operate  independently  and  secretly." 

"  Our  friend  Fischer,"  Von  Schwerin  told  them, 
"  has  promised  to  stay  over  here  for  the  present  to 
organise  this  undertaking.  I,  alas !  am  bound  to 
remain  always  a  little  aloof,  but  the  time  may  come, 
and  very  soon,  too,  when  I  shall  be  a  free  lance. 
On  that  day  I  shall  throw  my  lot  in  with  yours,  to 
the  last  drop  of  my  blood  and  the  last  hour  of  my 
liberty.  Until  then,  trust  Oscar  Fischer.  He  has 
done  great  deeds  already.  He  will  show  you  the 
way  to  more." 

Fischer  took  off  his  spectacles  and  wiped  them. 

"  Our  first  proceeding,"  he  said,  "  sounds  para- 
doxical. It  must  be  that  we  cease  to  exist.  There 
can  be  no  longer  any  meetings  amongst  us  who 
stand  in  this  country  for  Germany.  Gatherings 
of  this  sort  are  finished.  We  meet,  one  or  two  of 
us,  perhaps,  by  accident,  in  the  clubs  and  in  the 
streets,  in  our  houses  and  perhaps  in  the  restau- 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  171 

rants,  but  the  bond  which  unites  us,  and  which  no 
human  power  could  ever  sever  because  it  is  of  the 
spirit,  that  bond  from  to-night  is  intangible.  Wait, 
all  of  you,  for  a  message.  The  task  given  to  each 
shall  not  be  too  great." 

Mr.  Max  H.  Bookam,  a  little  black-bearded  man 
who  had  started  life  tailoring  in  a  garret,  and  was 
now  a  multi-millionaire,  raised  his  glass. 

"  No  task  shall  seem  too  great,"  he  muttered. 
"  No  risk  shall  make  us  afraid.  Even  the  exile  shall 
take  up  his  burden." 


CHAPTER  XXI 

Mr.  Fischer's  business  later  on  that  night  led  him 
into  unsavoury  parts.  He  left  his  car  at  the  corner 
of  Fourteenth  Street,  and,  after  a  moment's  reflec- 
tion, as  though  to  refresh  his  memory,  he  made  his 
way  slowly  eastwards.  He  wore  an  unusually 
shabby  overcoat,  and  a  felt  hat  drawn  over  his  eyes, 
both  of  which  garments  he  had  concealed  in  the  auto- 
mobile. Even  then,  however,  his  appearance  made 
him  an  object  of  some  comment.  A  little  gang  of 
toughs  first  j  ostled  him  and  then  turned  and  followed 
in  his  footsteps.  A  man  came  out  of  the  shadows, 
and  they  broke  away  with  an  oath. 

"  That  cop'll  get  his  head  broke  some  day," 
Fischer  heard  one  of  them  mutter,  with  appropriate 
adjectives. 

There  were  others  who  looked  curiously  at  him. 
One  man's  hand  he  felt  running  over  his  pockets 
as  he  pushed  past  him.  A  couple  of  women  came 
screaming  down  the  street  and  seized  him  by  the 
arms.  He  shook  himself  free,  and  listened  without 
a  word  to  their  torrent  of  abuse.  The  lights  here 
seemed  to  burn  more  dimly.  Even  the  flares  from 
the  drinking  dens  seemed  secretive,  and  the  shadowy 
places  impenetrable.  It  was  before  a  saloon  that  at 
last  he  paused,  listened  for  a  moment  to  the  sound 
of  a  cracked  piano  inside,  and  entered.  The  place 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  173 

was  packed,  and,  fortunately  for  him,  a  scrap  of 
some  interest  between  two  villainous-looking  Italians 
in  a  distant  corner  was  occupying  the  attention  of 
many  of  the  patrons.  A  man  with  white,  staring 
face  was  banging  at  a  crazy  piano  without  a  move- 
ment of  his  body,  his  whole  energies  apparently  di- 
rected towards  drowning  the  tumult  of  oaths  and 
hideous  execrations  which  came  from  the  two  com- 
batants. A  drunken  Irishman,  rolling  about  on  the 
floor,  kicked  at  him  savagely  as  he  passed.  An  un- 
dersized little  creature,  with  the  face  of  an  old  man 
but  the  figure  of  a  boy,  marked  him  from  a  distant 
corner  and  crept  stealthily  towards  his  side. 
Fischer  reached  the  counter  at  last  and  stood  there 
for  a  moment,  waiting.  Two  huge,  rough-looking 
negroes,  in  soiled  linen  clothes,  were  dispensing  the 
drinks.  As  one  of  them  passed,  Fischer  struck  the 
counter  with  his  forefinger,  six  or  seven  times,  ob- 
serving a  particular  rhythm.  The  negro  started, 
turned  his  heavily-lidded,  repulsive  eyes  upon 
Fischer,  and  nodded  slightly.  He  handed  out 
the  drink  he  had  in  his  hand,  and  leaned  over  the 
counter. 

"  Want  the  boss  ?  "  he  demanded. 

Fischer  assented.  The  negro  lifted  the  flap  of  the 
counter  and  opened  a  trapdoor,  leading  apparently 
into  a  cellar  beneath. 

"  Step  right  down,"  he  muttered.  "  Don't  let  the 
boys  catch  on.  Get  out  of  that,  Tim,"  he  added 
thickly  to  the  dwarflike  figure,  whose  slender  fingers 
were  suddenly  nearing  Fischer's  neck. 

The  creature  seemed  to  melt  away.     Fischer  dived 


174  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

and  descended  a  dozen  steps  or  so  into  another  bare 
looking  apartment,  the  door  of  which  was  half  open. 
There  were  three  men  seated  at  the  solitary  deal 
table,  which  was  almost  the  only  article  of  furniture 
to  be  seen.  One,  sombrely  dressed  in  legal  black, 
with  a  pale  face  and  fiercely  inquiring  eyes,  half  rose 
to  his  feet  as  the  newcomer  entered.  Another's  hand 
went  to  his  hip  pocket.  The  man  who  was  sitting 
between  the  two,  however  —  a  great  red-headed 
Irishman  —  rose  to  his  feet  and  pushed  them  back 
to  their  places. 

"  There's  no  cause  for  alarm,  now,  boys,"  he  de- 
clared. "  This  is  a  friend  of  mine.  I  won't  make 
you  acquainted,  because  we're  all  better  friends 
strangers  down  in  these  parts.  Hop  it  off,  you  two. 
Sit  down  here,  Mr.  Stranger." 

The  two  men  stole  away.  The  Irishman  poured 
out  a  glassful  of  neat  whisky  and  passed  it  to  his 
visitor. 

"  Clients  of  mine,"  he  explained.  "  Tim  Crooks 
is  in  politics.  Got  your  message,  boss.  What's  the 
figure  ?  " 

"Two  thousand!" 

The  Irishman  whistled  and  looked  thoughtfully 
down  at  the  table." 

"  Isn't  it  enough?"  Fischer  asked. 

"  Enough?  "  was  the  hoarse  reply.  "  Why,  there 
isn't  one  of  my  toughs  that  wouldn't  go  rat-hunting 
for  a  quarter  of  that.  If  it's  any  one  in  these  parts, 
twelve  hours  is  all  I  want." 

"  It  isn't !  " 

The  Irishman's  face  fell. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  175 

"  Some  swell,  I  suppose  ?  Fifth  Avenue  way  and 
the  swagger  parts,  eh?  " 

Fischer  assented  silently.  His  host  poured  him- 
self out  some  whisky  and  drank  it  as  though  it  were 
water. 

"  You  see,  boss,"  he  pointed  out,  "  it's  no  use 
sending  greenhorns  out  on  a  job  like  that,  because 
they  only  squeak  if  they're  pinched,  and  pinched 
they're  sure  to  be ;  and  all  my  regulars  are  what  we 
call  in  sanctuary." 

"  You  mean  they  are  hiding  already  ?  " 

"  That's  some  truth,"  was  the  grim  admission. 
"  The  cops  ain't  going  to  trouble  to  come  after  'em, 
so  long  as  they  keep  here,  but  they'd  nab  'em  fast 
enough  if  they  showed  their  noses  beyond  the  end 
of  Fourteenth.  Still,  I'd  like  to  oblige  you,  guv'nor. 
I  don't  know  who  you  are,  and  don't  want,  but  my 
boys  speak  fine  of  you.  You  know  Ed  Swindles?  " 

"  Not  by  name,"  Fischer  confessed. 

"  He  did  that  little  job  up  at  Detroit,"  the  Irish- 
man went  on,  dropping  his  voice  a  little.  "  I  tell 
you  he's  a  genius  at  handling  a  bomb,  is  Ed.  Blew 
that  old  factory  into  brick-ends,  he  did.  He's  in 
the  saloon  upstairs  —  got  his  girl  with  him.  They've 
been  doing  a  round  of  the  dancing  saloons." 

"That's  all  right,  but  what  about  this  job?" 
Fischer  inquired,  a  little  impatiently. 

The  Irishman  glanced  behind  him.  Then  he 
dropped  his  voice  a  little. 

"  Look  here,  girv'nor,"  he  said,  "  I've  some  idea,  if 
it  pans  out.  You've  heard  of  the  Heste  case?" 

"  You  mean  the  girl  who  was  murdered?  " 


176  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  Yes !  Well,  the  chap  that  did  it  is  within  a  few 
feet  of  where  we're  sitting." 

Fischer  took  off  his  spectacles  and  rubbed  them. 
In  the  dim  light  his  face  looked  more  grim  and 
powerful  than  ever. 

"  Isn't  that  a  little  dangerous  ?  "  he  observed. 
"  The  police  mean  having  him." 

"  You're  dead  right,"  the  Irishman  replied. 
"  They've  got  to  have  him,  and  he  knows  it.  They'd 
keep  their  hands  off  any  one  in  these  parts  if  they 
could,  but  this  bloke's  different.  He  done  it  too 
thick,  and  he's  got  the  public  squealing.  Now  if 
we  could  get  him  out  for  long  enough,  he's  the  man 
for  your  job.  Come  right  along,  boss." 

He  rose  heavily  to  his  feet,  crossed  the  room,  and 
threw  open  the  door  of  what  was  little  more  than  a 
cupboard  at  the  further  end.  The  place  was  in 
darkness,  but  a  human  form  sprang  suddenly  up- 
right. His  white  face  and  glaring  eyes  were  the 
only  visible  objects  in  a  shroud  of  darkness. 

"  That's  all  right,  kid,"  the  Irishman  said  sooth- 
ingly. "  No  cops  yet.  This  is  a  gentleman  on  busi- 
ness. Wait  till  I  fix  a  light." 

He  stepped  back,  and  brought  a  candle  from  the 
table  at  which  he  had  been  seated.  Fischer  helped 
him  light  it,  and  by  degrees  the  interior  of  the  little 
apartment  was  illuminated.  Its  contents  were  al- 
most negligible  —  there  was  simply  a  foul  piece  of 
rug  in  the  corner,  and  a  broken  chair.  With  his 
back  to  the  wall  crouched  a  slim,  apparently  young 
man,  with  a  perfectly  bloodless  face  and  black  eyes 
under  which  were  blue  lines.  His  clothes  were  torn 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  177 

and  covered  with  dust,  as  though  he  had  dragged 
himself  about  the  floor,  and  one  of  his  hands  was 
bleeding. 

"  The  gentleman's  on  business,  Jake,"  his  host  re- 
peated. 

"  Give  me  some  whisky,"  the  young  man  mumbled. 

The  Irishman  shaded  his  eyes. 

"  Holy  Moses !  why,  you've  finished  that  bottle !  " 
he  exclaimed. 

"  It's  like  water,"  the  fugitive  replied  in  a  hot 
whisper.  "  I  drink  and  I  feel  nothing ;  I  taste 
nothing  —  I  forget  nothing !  Give  me  something 
stronger." 

He  tossed  off  without  hesitation  the  tumbler  half 
full  of  whisky  which  his  guardian  fetched  him.  Then 
he  came  out. 

"  I'm  sick  of  this,"  he  declared.  "  I'll  sit  at  your 
table.  It's  no  use  talking  to  me  of  jobs,"  he  went 
on.  "  I  couldn't  get  out  of  here.  I  made  for  the 
docks,  but  they  headed  me  off.  They  know  where 
I  am.  They'll  have  me  sooner  or  later." 

"  Yes,  they'll  have  you  right  enough,"  the  Irish- 
man assented ;  "  but  if  there  was  any  chance  in  the 
world,  this  gent  could  give  it  to  you.  He's  got  a 
job  he  wants  done  up  amongst  the  swells  in  Fifth 
Avenue,  and  there's  money  enough  in  it  to  buy  Anna 
herself,  if  you  want  her.  Anna's  our  real  toff  down 
here,"  he  explained,  turning  to  Fischer,  "  and  all 
the  boys  are  crazy  about  her." 

Jake  shook  his  head,  unimpressed.  He  fixed  his 
eyes  upon  Fischer,  moistened  his  lips  a  Mttle,  and 
spoke  in  a  sort  of  croaky  whisper. 


i78  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  Money's  no  use  to  me,"  he  said,  "  nor  women 
either  —  I'm  through  with  them.  You  know  what 
I  done?  I  killed  my  girl.  That's  what  I'm  going 
to  the  chair  for.  But  if  I  could  get  out  of  this,  I'd 
do  your  job.  I'm  kind  of  hating  people.  I  can't 
get  my  girl's  face  out  of  my  mind.  Perhaps  if  I 
did  your  job  I'd  have  another  one  to  think  about." 

"Pleasant  company,  ain't  he?"  the  Irishman 
grunted.  "  He's  the  real  goods." 

Fischer  stared  at  the  young  man  as  though  fas- 
cinated. He  seemed  beyond  and  outside  human  com- 
prehension. Their  host  was  sitting  with  his  hands 
in  his  pockets  and  his  feet  on  another  chair.  The 
braces  hung  from  his  shoulders  upon  the  floor,  his 
colla'rless  shirt  had  fallen  a  little  open.  His  face, 
with  its  little  tuft  of  red  side  whiskers  and  unshaven 
chin,  was  reminiscent  of  the  forests. 

"  If  you  want  this  job  fixed,  Mr.  Stranger,"  he 
said,  "  I  don't  know  as  Jake  here  couldn't  take  it 
on.  It'd  have  to  be  done  like  this.  Jake's  a  real 
toney  chauffeur  —  drive  anything.  If  you  had  your 
automobile  at  a  spot  I  could  tell  you  of  one  evening, 
just  at  dusk,  I  might  get  him  that  far,  in  a  set  of 
chauffeur's  clothes.  Once  on  the  box  of  your  auto, 
he'd  be  out  of  this  and  could  give  'em  the  slip  for  a 
bit.  It's  the  only  way  I  can  think  of,  to  get  him 
near  the  game." 

"  The  arrangement  would  suit  me,"  Fischer  ad- 
mitted. 

Jake  suddenly  showed  a  gleaming  set  of  unex- 
pectedly white  teeth.  His  eyes  stared  more  than 
ever. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  179 

"  I'm  game !  I'm  on  to  this,"  he  cried  fiercely. 
"  You  can  have  all  there  is  coming  to  me,  Sullivan, 
if  I  get  nabbed,  but  I'm  going  to  take  my  risk.  I 
hate  this  hole !  It's  a  rat's  den." 

"  Then  get  you  back  to  your  cupboard,  Jake,"  the 
Irishman  enjoined.  "I've  got  to  talk  business  to 
the  gent." 

The  young  man  rose  to  his  feet.  He  took  the 
bottle  of  whisky  under  his  arm.  His  face  was  still 
ashen,  but  his  tone  was  steady.  He  gripped  Fischer 
by  the  arm. 

"  I  will  do  your  job,"  he  promised.  "  I  will  do  it 
thoroughly." 

He  slouched  across  the  floor,  entered  his  cupboard, 
and  disappeared.  Fischer  was  suddenly  aware  of 
the  moisture  upon  his  forehead.  There  was  some- 
thing animallike,  absolutely  inhuman,  about  this 
creature  with  whom  he  had  made  his  murderous  bar- 
gain. 

"  I  have  no  money  here,  of  course,"  he  reminded 
his  companion. 

"  Don't  know  as  I  blame  you,  guv'nor,"  the  other 
observed  with  a  grin.  "  I  saw  my  toughs  lay  out  a 
guy  only  the  other  day  for  flashing  a  smaller  wad 
than  you'd  carry.  You  know  the  rules,  and  I  guess 
I'll  ring  up  the  bank  to-morrow  morning  at  eleven 
o'clock.  Does  that  go?  " 

"  You'll  find  the  deposit  there,"  Fischer  promised. 
"  You'd  better  let  me  know  when  he's  ready  to  take 
the  job  on." 

The  Irishman  walked  to  the  foot  of  the  steps  with 
his  visitor. 


i8o  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  Give  Joe  the  double  knock  on  the  trapdoor,"  he 
directed,  "  and  get  out  of  the  saloon  as  quick  as 
you  can.  There's  a  Dago  about  there  keeps  our 
hands  full.  Got  anything  with  you  ?  " 

Fischer  nodded.  His  hand  stole  out  of  his  over- 
coat pocket. 

"  Better  give  them  one  if  they  look  like  trouble," 
his  host  advised.  "  They've  plenty  of  spunk,  but  I 
can  tell  you  they  make  tracks  for  their  holes  if  they 
hear  one  of  those  things  bark." 

"  They  shall  hear  it  fast  enough,  if  they  try  to 
hustle  me,"  Fischer  observed  grimly. 

"  You've  some  pluck,"  the  Irishman  declared,  as 
he  watched  his  departing  guest  ascend  the  steps. 
"  Sure,  this  is  no  place  for  cowards,  anyway.  And 
good  night  and  good  luck  to  you!  Jake  will  do 
your  job  slick,  if  any  one  could." 

Fischer  beat  his  little  tattoo  upon  the  trapdoor, 
crawled  through  it  and  underneath  the  flap  in  the 
counter,  out  into  the  saloon.  He  paused  for  a 
moment  to  look  around,  on  his  way  to  the  door. 
The  fight  was  apparently  over,  for  every  one  was 
standing  at  the  counter,  drinking  with  a  swarthy- 
faced  man  whose  cheeks  were  stained  with  blood. 
From  a  distant  corner  came  the  sound  of  groans. 
The  air  seemed  heavier  than  ever  with  foul  tobacco 
smoke.  The  man  at  the  piano  still  thrashed  out  his 
unmelodious  chords.  Some  women  in  a  corner  were 
pretending  to  dance.  One  or  two  of  them  looked 
curiously  at  Fischer,  but  he  passed  out,  unchal- 
lenged. Even  the  air  of  the  slum  outside  seemed 
pure  and  fresh  after  the  heated  den  he  had  l?ft.  He 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  181 

reached  the  corner  of  the  street  in  safety  and  stepped 
quickly  into  his  car.  He  threw  both  windows  wide 
open  and  murmured  an  order  to  the  chauffeur. 
Then  he  leaned  back  and  closed  his  eyes  for  a  mo- 
ment. He  was  a  man  not  overburdened  with  im- 
agination, but  it  seemed  to  him  just  then  that  he 
would  never  be  able  altogether  to  forget  the  face  of 
that  ghastly,  dehumanised  creature,  crouching  like 
some  terrified  wild  animal  in  his  fetid  refuge. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

Mrs.  Theodore  Hastings  was  forty-eight  years  old, 
which  her  friends  said  was  the  reason  why  her  man- 
sion on  Fifth  Avenue  was  furnished  and  lit  with  the 
delicate  sombreness  of  an  old  Italian  palace.  There 
was  about  it  none  of  the  garishness,  the  almost  re- 
splendent brilliancy  associated  with  the  abodes  of 
many  of  our  neighbours.  Although  her  masseuse 
confidently  assured  her  that  she  looked  twenty-eight, 
Mrs.  Hastings  preferred  not  to  put  the  matter  to 
the  test.  She  received  her  carefully  selected  dinner 
guests  in  a  great  library  with  cedarwood  walls,  fur- 
nished with  almost  Victorian  sobriety,  and  illumi- 
nated by  myriads  of  hidden  lights.  Pamela,  being  a 
relative,  received  the  special  consideration  of  an  af- 
fectionately bestowed  embrace. 

"  Pamela,  my  child,  wasn't  it  splendid  I  heard  that 
you  were  in  New  York  !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  Quite  by 
accident,  too.  I  think  you  treat  your  relatives 
shamefully." 

Her  niece  laughed. 

"  Well,  anyhow,  you're  the  first  of  them  I've  seen 
at  all,  and  directly  Jim  told  me  he  was  coming  to 
you,  I  made  him  ring  up  in  case  you  had  room  for 
me." 

"  Jimmy  was  a  dear,"  Mrs.  Hastings  declared, 
"  and,  of  course,  there  couldn't  be  a  time  when  there 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  183 

wouldn't  be  room  for  you.  Even  now,  at  the  last 
moment,  though,  I  haven't  quite  made  up  my  mind 
where  to  put  you.  Choose,  dear.  Will  you  have  a 
Western  bishop  or  a  rather  dull  Englishman?  " 

"  What  is  the  name  of  the  Englishman?  "  Pamela 
asked,  with  sudden  intuition. 

"  Lutchester,  dear.  Quite  a  nice  name,  but  I  know 
nothing  about  him.  He  brought  letters  to  your 
uncle.  Rather  a  queer  time  for  Englishmen  to  be 
travelling  about,  we  thought,  but  still,  there  he  is. 
Seems  to  have  found  some  people  he  knows  —  and  I 
declare  he  is  coming  towards  you !  " 

"  I  met  him  in  London,"  Pamela  whispered,  "  and 
I  never  could  get  on  with  bishops." 

The  dinner  table  was  large,  and  arranged  with 
that  wonderful  simplicity  which  Mrs.  Hastings  had 
adopted  as  the  keynote  of  her  New  York  parties. 
She  had  taken,  in  fact,  simplicity  under  her  wing 
and  made  a  new  thing  of  it.  There  were  more 
flowers  than  silver,  and  cut  glass  than  heavy  plate. 
There  seemed  to  be  an  almost  ostentatious  desire  to 
conceal  the  fact  that  Mr.  Hastings  had  robbed  the 
American  public  of  a  good  many  million  dollars. 

"  Of  course,"  Pamela  declared,  as  they  took  their 
places,  and  she  nodded  a  greeting  to  some  friends 
around  the  table,  "  fate  is  throwing  us  together  in 
the  most  unaccountable  manner." 

"  I  accept  its  vagaries  with  resignation,"  Lut- 
chester replied.  "  Besides,  it  is  quite  time  we  met 
again.  You  promised  to  show  me  New  York,  and  I 
haven't  seen  you  for  days." 

"  I   don't   even  remember  the   promise,"   Pamela 


184  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

laughed,  "  but  in  any  case  I  have  changed  my  mind. 
I  am  not  sure  that  you  are  the  nice,  simple-minded 
person  you  profess  to  be.  I  begin  to  have  doubts 
about  you." 

"  Interest  grows  with  mystery,"  Lutchester  re- 
marked complacently.  "  Let  us  hope  that  I  am  pro- 
moted in  your  mind." 

"  Well,  I  am  not  at  all  sure.  Of  course,  I  am  not 
an  Englishman,  so  it  is  of  no  particular  interest  to 
me,  but  if  you  really  came  over  here  on  important 
affairs,  I  am  not  sure  that  I  approve  of  your  playing 
golf  the  day  after  your  arrival." 

"  That,  perhaps,  was  thoughtless,"  he  admitted, 
"  but  one  gets  so  short  of  exercise  on  board  ship." 

"  Of  course,"  Pamela  observed  tentatively,  "  I'd 
forgive  you  even  now  if  you'd  only  be  a  little  more 
frank  with  me." 

"  I  am  prepared  to  be  candour  itself,"  he  assured 
her. 

"  Tell  me,"  she  begged,  "  the  whole  extent  of  your 
mission  in  America?  " 

He  glanced  around. 

"  If  we  were  alone,"  he  replied,  "  I  might  court  in- 
discretion so  far  as  to  tell  you." 

"  Then  we  will  leave  the  answer  to  that  question 
until  after  dinner,"  she  said. 

She  talked  to  her  left-hand  neighbour  for  a  few 
moments,  and  Lutchester  followed  suit.  They 
turned  to  one  another  again,  however,  at  the  first 
opportunity. 

"  I  have  conceived,"  she  told  him,  "  a  great  admira- 
tion for  Mr.  Oscar  Fischer." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  185 

"  A  very  able  man,"  Lutchester  agreed. 

"  He  is  not  only  that,"  Pamela  continued,  "  but  he 
is  a  man  with  large  principles  and  great  ideas." 

"  Principles  !  "  Lutchester  murmured. 

"  Of  course,  you  don't  like  him,"  Pamela  went  on, 
"  and  I  don't  wonder  at  it.  He  is  thoroughly  Ger- 
man, isn't  he?  " 

"Almost  prejudiced,  I'm  afraid,"  Lutchester  as- 
sented. 

"  Don't  be  silly,"  Pamela  protested.  "  Why,  he's 
German  by  birth,  and  although  you  English  people 
are  much  too  pig-headed  to  see  any  good  in  an 
enemy,  I  think  you  must  admit  that  the  way  they 
all  hang  together  —  Germans,  I  mean,  all  over  the 
world  —  is  perfectly  wonderful." 

"  There  have  been  a  few  remarks  of  the  same 
sort,"  Lutchester  reminded  her,  "  about  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  British  Empire  —  Canadians,  Austra- 
lians, New  Zealanders,  for  instance." 

"  As  a  matter  of  fact,"  Pamela  admitted  gener- 
ously, "  I  consider  that  your  Colonials  understand 
the  word  patriotism  better  than  the  ordinary  Eng- 
lishman. With  them,  as  wit^h  the  Germans,  it  is  al- 
most a  passionate  impulse.  Your  hearts  may  be  in 
the  right  places,  but  you  always  give  one  the  impres- 
sion of  finding  the  whole  thing  rather  a  bore." 

"Well,  so  it  is,"  Lutchester  insisted.  "Who 
wants  to  give  up  a  very  agreeable  profession  and 
enter  upon  a  career  of  bloodshed,  abandon  all  one's 
habits,  and  lose  most  of  one's  friends?  No,  we  are 
honest  about  that,  at  any  rate!  Germany  may  be 
enjoying  this  war.  We  aren't." 


x86  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"What  was  your  profession?"  Pamela  inquired. 

"  Diplomacy,"  Lutchester  confided.  "  I  intended 
to  become  an  ambassador." 

"  Do  you  think  you  have  the  requisite  gifts  ?  " 

"What  are  they?" 

"  Secrecy,  subtlety,  caution,  and  highly-developed 
intelligence,"  she  replied.  "How's  that?" 

"  All  those  gifts,"  he  assured  her,  "  I  possess." 

She  fanned  herself  for  a  moment  and  looked  at 
him. 

"  We  are  not  a  modest  race  ourselves,"  she  said, 
"  but  I  think  you  can  give  us  a  lead.  By  the  bye, 
were  you  playing  golf  with  Senator  Hamblin  by  ac- 
cident the  other  afternoon?" 

"  You  mean  the  old  Johnny  down  at  Baltusrol  ?  " 
he  asked  coolly.  "  I  picked  him  up  wandering  about 
by  the  professionals'  shed." 

"  Did  you  talk  politics  with  him?  " 

"  We  gassed  a  bit  about  the  war,"  Lutchester  ad- 
mitted cheerfully. 

Pamela  laughed.  She  leaned  a  little  forward. 
The  buzz  of  conversation  now  was  insistent  all  around 
them. 

"  Of  you  two,"  she  whispered,  "  I  prefer  Fischer." 

Lutchester  considered  the  matter  for  some  time. 

"  Well,  there's  no  accounting  for  tastes,"  he  said 
presently.  "  I  shouldn't  have  thought  him  exactly 
your  type." 

"  He  may  not  be,"  Pamela  confessed,  "  but  at 
least  he  has  the  courage  to  speak  what  is  in  his 
mind." 

Lutchester  smiled. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  187 

'*  So  Fischer  has  taken  you  into  his  confidence, 
has  he?"  he  murmured.  "Well,  now,  that  seems 
queer  to  me.  I  should  have  thought  your  interests 
would  have  lain  the  other  way." 

"  As  an  individual?  " 

"  As  an  American." 

"  I  am  not  wholly  convinced  of  that." 

"  Come,"  he  protested,  "  what  is  the  use  of  a 
friend  from  whom  you  are  separated  by  an  un- 
negotiable  space?  " 

"  What  unnegotiable  space  ?  " 

"  The  Atlantic." 

"  And  why  is  the  Atlantic  unnegotiable  ?  " 

"  Because  of  a  little  affair  called  the  British  fleet," 
Lutchester  pointed  out. 

"  There  is  also,"  she  reminded  him  drily,  "  a  Ger- 
man fleet,  and  they  haven't  met  yet." 

"  Ah !  I  had  almost  forgotten  there  was  such  a 
thing,"  he  murmured.  "Where  do  they  keep  it?" 

"  You  know.  You  aren't  nearly  so  stupid  as  you 
pretend  to  be,"  she  said,  a  little  impatiently.  "  I 
should  like  you  so  much  better  if  you  would  be  frank 
with  me." 

"  What  about  those  qualifications  for  my  ambas- 
sadorial career  ?  "  he  reminded  her  — "  Secrecy, 
subtlety,  caution." 

"  The  master  of  these,"  she  whispered,  rising  to 
her  feet  in  response  to  her  hostess's  signal,  "  knows 
when  to  abandon  them — " 

Lutchester  changed  his  place  to  a  vacant  chair  by 
James  Van  Teyl's  side. 

*'  I  was  going  to  ask  you,  Mr.  Van  Teyl,"  he  in- 


i88  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

quired,  "  whether  your  Japanese  servant  was  alto- 
gether a  success?  I  think  I  shall  have  to  get  a  tem- 
porary servant  while  I  am  over  here." 

"  Nikasti  was  entirely  Fischer's  affair,"  Van  Teyl 
replied,  "  and  I  can't  say  much  about  him  as  I  have 
given  up  my  share  of  the  apartments  at  the  Plaza. 
The  fellow's  all  right,  I  dare  say,  but  we  hadn't  the 
slightest  use  for  a  valet.  The  man  on  the  floor's 
good  enough  for  any  one." 

"  By  the  bye,"  Lutchester  inquired,  "  is  Fischer 
still  in  New  York?" 

"  No,  he's  in  Washington,"  Van  Teyl  replied.  "  I 
believe  he's  expected  back  to-morrow.  .  .  .  Say,  can 
I  ask  you  a  question?  " 

Lutchester  almost  imperceptibly  drew  his  chair  a 
little  closer. 

"  Of  course  you  can,"  he  assented. 

"  What  I  want  to  know,"  Van  Teyl  continued  con- 
fidentially, "  is  how  you  get  that  long  run  on  your 
cleek  shots  ?  I  saw  you  play  the  sixteenth  hole,  and 
it  looked  to  me  as  though  the  ball  were  never  going 
to  stop." 

Lutchester  smiled. 

"  I  have  made  a  special  study  of  that  shot,"  he 
confided.  "  Yes,  I  can  tell  you  how  it's  done,  but 
it  needs  a  lot  of  practice.  It's  done  in  turning  over 
the  wrists  sharply  just  at  the  moment  of  impact. 
You  get  everything  there  is  to  be  got  into  the  stroke 
that  way,  and  you  keep  the  ball  low,  too." 

"  Gee,  I  must  try  that !  "  Van  Teyl  observed,  mak- 
ing spasmodic  movements  with  his  wrists.  "  When 
could  we  have  a  day  down  at  Baltusrol? " 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  189 

"  It  will  have  to  be  next  week,  I'm  afraid,  if  you 
don't  mind,"  Lutchester  replied.  "  I've  a  good 
many  appointments  in  New  York,  and  I  may  have  to 
go  to  Washington  myself.  By  the  bye,  I  thought 
our  host  lived  there." 

"  So  he  does,"  Van  Teyl  assented.  "  Nowadays, 
though,  it  seems  to  have  become  the  fashion  for 
politicians  to  own  a  house  up  in  New  York  and  do 
some  entertaining  here.  They're  after  the  financial 
interest,  I  suppose." 

*'  Is  your  uncle  a  keen  politician  ?  " 

"  Keen  as  mustard,"  Van  Teyl  answered.  "  So'i 
my  aunt.  She'd  give  her  soul  to  have  the  old  man 
nominated  for  the  Presidency." 

"Any  chance  of  it?" 

"  Not  an  earthly !  He'll  come  a  mucker,  though, 
some  day,  trying.  He'd  take  any  outside  chance. 
For  a  clever  man  he's  the  vainest  thing  I  know." 

Lutchester  smiled  enigmatically  as  he  followed  the 
example  of  the  others  and  rose  to  his  feet. 

"  Even  in  America,  then,"  he  observed,  "  your 
great  men  have  their  weaknesses." 


CHAPTER  XXHI 

Fischer,  exactly  one  week  after  his  nocturnal  visit 
to  Fourteenth  Street,  hurried  out  of  the  train  at  the 
Pennsylvania  Station,  almost  tore  the  newspapers 
from  the  news  stand,  glanced  through  them  one  by 
one  and  threw  them  back.  The  attendant,  open- 
mouthed,  ventured  upon  a  mild  protest.  Fischer 
threw  him  a  dollar  bill,  caught  up  his  handbag,  and 
made  for  the  entrance.  He  was  the  first  passenger 
from  the  Washington  Limited  to  reach  the  street  and 
spring  into  a  taxi. 

"  The  Plaza  Hotel,"  he  ordered.     "  Get  along." 

They  arrived  at  the  Plaza  in  less  than  ten  minutes. 
Mr.  Fischer  tipped  the  driver  lavishly,  suffered  the 
hall  porter  to  take  his  bag,  returned  his  greeting 
mechanically,  and  walked  with  swift  haste  to  the  tape 
machine.  He  held  up  the  strips  with  shaking  fingers, 
dropped  them  again,  hurried  to  the  lift,  and  entered 
his  rooms.  Nikasti  was  in  the  sitting-room,  arrang- 
ing some  flowers.  Fischer  did  not  even  stop  to  reply 
to  his  reverential  greeting. 

"  Where's  Mr.  Van  Teyl?  "  he  demanded. 

"  Mr.  Van  Teyl  has  gone  away,  sir,"  was  the  calm 
reply.  "  He  left  here  the  day  before  yesterday. 
There  is  a  letter." 

Fischer  took  no  notice.  He  was  already  gripping 
the  telephone  receiver. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  191 

"  982,  Wall,"  he  said  — "  an  urgent  call." 

He  stood  waiting,  his  face  an  epitome  of  breath- 
less suspense.  Soon  a  voice  answered  him. 

*'  That  the  office  of  Neville,  Brooks  and  Van 
Teyl?"  he  demanded.  "Yes!  Put  me  through  to 
Mr.  Van  Teyl.  Urgent !  " 

Another  few  seconds  of  waiting,  then  once  more 
he  bent  over  the  instrument. 

"That  you,  Van  Teyl?  .  .  .  Yes,  Fischer  speak- 
ing. Oh,  never  mind  about  that !  Listen.  What 
price  are  Anglo-French?  .  .  .  No,  say  about  what? 
.  .  .  Ninety-five?  .  .  .  Sell  me  a  hundred  thousand. 
.  .  .  What's  that?  .  .  .  What?  ...  Of  course  it's 
a  big  deal!  Never  mind  that.  I'm  good  enough, 
aren't  I?  There'll  be  no  rise  that'll  wipe  out  half  a 
million  dollars.  I've  got  that  lying  in  cash  at  Gug- 
genheimer's.  If  you  need  the  money,  I'll  bring  it  you 
in  half  an  hour.  Get  out  into  the  market  and  sell. 
Damn  you,  what's  it  matter  about  news!  Right! 
Sorry,  Jim.  See  you  later." 

Fischer  put  down  the  telephone  and  wiped  his 
forehead.  Notwithstanding  the  fatigue  in  his  face, 
there  was  a  glint  of  triumph  there.  He  laid  his 
hand  upon  Nikasti's  shoulder. 

"  My  friend,"  he  said,  "  there's  big  proof  coming 
of  what  I  said  to  you  the  other  day.  You'll  find 
that  letter  you  carry  will  mean  a  different  thing 
now.  There's  news  in  the  air." 

"  There  has  been  a  great  battle,  perhaps  ?  "  Nika- 
sti  asked  slowly. 

"  All  that  is  to  be  known  you  will  hear  before 
evening,"  Fischer  replied.  "  Tell  some  one  to  send 


i92  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

me  some  coffee.  I  have  come  through  from  Wash- 
ington. I  am  tired." 

He  sank  a  little  abruptly  into  an  easy-chair,  took 
off  his  spectacles,  and  leaned  his  head  back  upon 
the  cushions.  In  the  sunlight  his  face  was  almost 
ghastly.  A  queer  sense  of  weakness  had  suddenly 
assailed  him.  His  mind  flitted  back  through  a  vista 
of  sleepless  nights,  of  strenuous  days,  of  passions 
held  in  leash,  excitement  ground  down. 

"  I  am  tired,"  he  said.  "  Telephone  down  to  the 
office,  Nikasti,  for  a  doctor." 

Nikasti  obeyed,  and  his  summons  was  promptly 
answered.  The  doctor  who  arrived  was  pleasantly 
but  ominously  grave.  In  the  middle  of  his  exami- 
nation the  telephone  rang.  Fischer,  without  cere- 
mony, moved  to  the  receiver.  It  was  Van  Teyl 
speaking. 

"  I've  sold  your  hundred  thousand  Anglo-French," 
he  announced.  "  It's  done  the  whole  market  in, 
though  —  knocked  the  bottom  out  of  it.  They've 
fallen  a  point  and  a  half.  Shall  I  begin  to  buy  back 
for  you?  You'll  make  a  bit." 

"  Not  a  share,"  Fischer  answered  fiercely. 
"  Wait ! " 

"  Have  you  any  news  you're  keeping  up  your 
sleeve?  "  Van  Teyl  persisted. 

"  If  I  have,  it's  my  own  affair,"  was  the  curt  reply, 
"  and  I  don't  tell  news  over  the  telephone,  anyway. 
Watch  the  market,  and  go  on  selling  where  you  can." 

"  I  shall  do  as  you  order,"  Van  Teyl  replied,  "  but 
you're  all  against  the  general  tone  here.  By  the 
bye,  you  got  my  letter?  " 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  193 

"  I  haven't  opened  it  yet,"  Fischer  snapped. 
"What's  the  matter?" 

"  Pamela  and  I  have  taken  a  little  flat  in  Fifty- 
eighth  Street.  Seems  a  little  abrupt,  but  she  didn't 
want  to  be  alone,  and  she  hates  hotels.  We  felt  sure 
you'd  understand." 

"  Yes,  I  understand,"  Fischer  said.  "  Good-by ! 
I'm  busy." 

The  doctor  completed  his  examination.  When  he 
had  finished  he  mentioned  his  fee. 

"  You  work  too  hard,  and  you  live  in  an  atmo- 
sphere of  too  great  strain.  The  natural  conse- 
quences are  already  beginning  to  show  themselves. 
If  I  give  you  medicine,  it  will  only  encourage  you  to 
keep  on  wasting  yourself,  but  you  can  have  medicine 
if  you  like." 

"  Send  me  something  to  take  for  the  next  fort- 
night," Fischer  replied.  "  After  that,  I'll  take  my 
chance." 

The  doctor  wrote  a  prescription  and  took  his  leave. 
Fischer  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  closed  his  eyes. 
His  mind  travelled  back  through  these  latter  days  of 
his  over-strenuous  life.  In  such  minutes  of  relaxa- 
tion, few  of  which  he  permitted  himself,  he  realised 
with  bitter  completeness  the  catastrophe  which  had 
overtaken  him  —  him,  Oscar  Fischer,  of  all  men  on 
earth.  Into  his  life  of  grim  purposes,  of  lofty  and 
yet  narrow  ambitions,  of  almost  superhuman  tenac- 
ity, had  crept  the  one  weakening  strain  whose  pres- 
ence in  other  men  he  had  always  scoffed  at  and  de- 
rived. There  was  a  new  and  enervating  glamour 
over  the  days,  a  new  and  hatefully  powerful  rival  for 


194  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

all  his  thoughts  and  dreams.  Ten  years  ago,  he 
reflected  sadly,  this  might  have  made  a  different  man 
of  him,  might  have  unlocked  the  gates  into  another, 
more  peaceful  and  beautiful  world,  visions  of  which 
had  sometimes  vaguely  disturbed  him  in  his  cold  and 
selfish  climb.  Now  it  could  only  mean  suffering. 
This  was  the  first  stroke.  It  was  the  assertion 
of  humanity  which  was  responsible  for  his  pres- 
ent weakness.  How  far  might  it  not  drag  him 
down? 

There  should  be  a  fight,  at  any  rate,  he  told  him- 
self, as  an  hour  or  two  later  he  made  his  way  down- 
town. He  paid  several  calls  in  the  vicinity  of  Wall 
Street,  and  finished  up  in  Van  Teyl's  office.  That 
young  man  greeted  him  with  a  certain  relief. 

"  You  know  the  tone  of  the  market's  still  against 
you,  Fischer,"  he  warned  him  once  more. 

Fischer  threw  himself  into  the  client's  easy-chair. 
The  furniture  in  the  office  seemed  less  distinct  than 
usual.  He  was  conscious  of  a  certain  haziness  of 
outline  in  everything.  Van  Teyl's  face,  even,  was 
shrouded  in  a  little  mist.  Then  he  suddenly  found 
himself  fighting  fiercely,  fighting  for  his  conscious- 
ness, fighting  against  a  wave  of  giddiness,  a  deadly 
sinking  of  the  heart,  a  strange  slackening  of  all  his 
nerve  power.  The  young  stockbroker  rose  hastily 
to  his  feet. 

"Anything  wrong,  old  fellow?"  he  asked  anx- 
iously. 

"  A  glass  of  water,"  Fischer  begged. 

He  was  conscious  of  drinking  it,  vaguely  conscious 
that  he  was  winning.  Soon  the  office  had  regained 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  195 

its  ordinary  appearance,  his  pulse  was  beating  more 
regularly.  He  had  once  more  the  feeling  of  living  — 
of  living,  though  in  a  minor  key. 

"  A  touch  of  liver,"  he  murmured.  "  What  did 
you  say  about  the  markets?  " 

"  You  look  pretty  rotten,"  Van  Teyl  remarked 
sympathetically.  "  Shall  I  send  out  for  some 
brandy?  " 

'*  Not  for  me,"  Fischer  scoffed.  "  I  don't  need  it. 
What  price  are  Anglo-French  ?  " 

"  Ninety-four.  You've  only  done  them  in  a  point, 
after  all,  and  that's  nominal.  I  daresay  I  could  get 
ten  thousand  back  at  that." 

"  Let  them  alone,"  was  the  calm  reply.  "  I'll  sell 
another  fifty  thousand  at  ninety-four." 

"  Look  here,"  Van  Teyl  said,  swinging  round  in 
his  chair,  "  I  like  the  business  and  I  know  you  can 
finance  it,  but  are  you  sure  that  you  realise  what 
you  are  doing?  Every  one  believes  Anglo-French 
have  touched  their  bottom.  They've  only  to  go  back 
to  where  they  were  —  say  five  points  —  and  you'd 
lose  half  a  million." 

Fischer  smiled  a  little  wearily. 

"  That  small  sum  in  arithmetic,"  he  remonstrated, 
"had  already  passed  through  my  brain.  Send  in 
your  selling  order,  Jim,  and  come  out  to  lunch  with 
me.  I've  come  straight  through  from  Washington 
—  only  got  in  this  morning." 

Van  Teyl  called  in  his  clerk  and  gave  a  few  or- 
ders. Then  he  took  up  his  hat  and  left  the  office 
with  his  client. 

"  From  Washington,  eh?  "  he  remarked  curiously. 


ig6  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

as  they  passed  into  the  crowded  streets.  "  So  that 
accounts  — " 

He  broke  off  abruptly.  His  companion's  warning 
fingers  had  tightened  upon  his  arm. 

"Quite  right!"  Van  Teyl  confessed.  "There's 
gossip  enough  about  now,  and  they  seem  to  have 
tumbled  to  it  that  you're  our  client.  The  office  has 
been  besieged  this  morning.  Sorry,  Ned,  I'm  busy," 
he  went  on,  to  a  man  who  tried  to  catch  his  arm. 
"  See  you  later,  Fred.  I'll  be  in  after  lunch,  Mr. 
Borrodaile.  No,  nothing  fresh  that  I  know  of." 

Fischer  smiled  grimly. 

"  Got  you  into  a  kind  of  hornets'  nest,  eh?  "  he 
observed. 

"  It's  been  like  this  all  the  morning,"  Van  Teyl 
told  him.  "  They  believe  I  know  something.  Even 
the  newspaper  men  are  tumbling  to  it.  We'll  lunch 
up  at  the  club.  Maybe  we'll  get  a  little  peace  there." 

They  stepped  into  the  hall  of  a  great  building, 
and  took  one  of  the  interminable  row  of  lifts.  A 
few  minutes  later  they  were  seated  at  a  side  table 
in  a  dining  room  on  the  top  floor  of  one  of  the  huge 
modern  skyscrapers.  Below  them  stretched  a  silent 
panorama  of  the  city;  beyond,  a  picturesque  view 
of  the  river.  A  fresh  breeze  blew  in  through  the 
opened  window.  They  were  above  the  noise,  even, 
of  the  street  cars. 

"  Order  me  a  small  bottle  of  champagne,  James," 
Fischer  begged,  "  and  some  steak." 

Van  Teyl  stared  at  his  companion  and  laughed  as 
he  took  up  the  wine  list. 

"  Well,  that's  the  first  time,  Fischer,  I've  known 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  197 

you  to  touch  a  drop  of  anything  before  the  evening! 
I'll  have  a  whisky  and  soda  with  you.  Thank  God 
we're  away  from  that  inquisitive  crowd  for  a  few 
minutes !  Are  you  going  to  give  me  an  idea  of 
what's  moving?  " 

Fischer  watched  the  wine  being  poured  into  his 
glass. 

"  Not  until  this  evening,"  he  said.  *'  I  want  you 
to  bring  your  sister  and  come  and  dine  at  the  new 
roof-garden." 

"  I  don't  know  whether  Pamela  has  any  engage- 
ment," Van  Teyl  began,  a  little  dubiously. 

"  Please  go  and  see,"  Fischer  begged  earnestly. 
"  The  telephones  are  j  ust  outside.  Tell  your  sister 
that  I  particularly  wish  her  to  accept  my  invitation. 
Tell  her  that  there  will  be  news." 

Van  Teyl  went  out  to  the  telephone.  Fischer 
sipped  his  champagne  and  crumbled  up  his  bread, 
his  eyes  fixed  a  little  dreamily  on  the  grey  river. 
He  was  already  conscious  of  the  glow  of  the  wine 
in  his  veins.  The  sensation  was  half  pleasurable, 
in  a  sense  distasteful  to  him.  He  resented  this  arti- 
ficial humanity.  He  had  the  feeling  of  a  man  who 
has  stooped  to  be  doped  by  a  quack  doctor.  And 
he  was  a  little  afraid. 

His  young  companion  returned  triumphant. 

"  Had  a  little  trouble  with  Pamela,"  he  observed, 
as  he  resumed  his  place  at  the  table.  "  She  was 
thinking  of  the  opera  with  a  girl  friend  she  picked 
up  this  morning.  However,  the  idea  of  news,  I 
think,  clinched  it.  We'll  be  at  the  Oriental  at  eight 
o'clock,  eh?" 


ig8  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Fischer  looked  up  from  the  fascinating  patchwork 
below.  Already  there  was  anticipation  in  his  face. 

"  I  am  very  glad,"  he  said.  "  There  will  certainly 
be  news." 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

"  Now  indeed  I  feel  that  I  am  in  New  York," 
Pamela  declared,  as  she  broke  off  one  of  the  blossoms 
of  the  great  cluster  of  deep  red  roses  by  her  side,  and 
gazed  downward  over  her  shoulder  at  the  far-flung 
carpet  of  lights.  "  One  sees  little  bits  of  America 
in  every  country  of  the  world,  but  never  this." 

Fischer,  unusually  grave  and  funereal-looking  in 
his  dinner  clothes  and  black  tie,  followed  her  gesture 
with  thoughtful  eyes.  Everything  that  was  ugly  in 
the  stretching  arms  of  the  city  seemed  softened, 
shrouded  and  bejewelled.  Even  the  sounds,  the  rat- 
tle and  roar  of  the  overhead  railways,  the  clanging 
of  the  electric  car  bells,  the  shrieking  of  the  sirens 
upon  the  river,  seemed  somehow  to  have  lost  their 
harsh  note,  to  have  become  the  human  cry  of  the 
great  live  city,  awaking  and  stretching  itself  for  the 
night. 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  he  said.  "  You  dine  at  the 
Ritz-Carlton  and  you  might  be  in  Paris.  You  dine 
here,  and  one  knows  that  you  are  in  America." 

"  Yet  even  here  we  have  become  increasingly 
luxurious,"  Pamela  remarked,  looking  around. 
"  The  glass  and  linen  upon  the  tables  are  quite 
French ;  those  shaded  lights  are  exquisite.  That 
little  band,  too,  was  playing  at  the  Ritz  three  years 


200  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

ago.  I  am  sure  that  the  maitre  d'hotel  who  brought 
us  to  our  table  was  once  at  the  Cafe  de  Paris." 

"  Money  would  draw  all  those  things  from  Europe 
even  to  the  Sahara,"  Fischer  observed,  "  so  long  as 
there  were  plenty  of  it.  But  millions  could  not  buy 
our  dining  table  in  the  clouds." 

"  A  little  effort  of  the  imagination,  fortunately," 
Pamela  laughed,  looking  upwards.  "  There  are 
stars,  but  no  clouds." 

"  I  guess  one  of  them  is  going  to  slip  down  to  the 
next  table  before  long,"  Van  Teyl  observed,  with  a 
little  movement  of  his  head. 

They  all  three  turned  around  and  looked  at  the 
wonderful  bank  of  pink  roses  within  a  few  feet  of 
them. 

"  One  of  the  opera  women,  I  daresay,"  the  young 
man  continued.  "  They  are  rather  fond  of  this 
place." 

Pamela  leaned  forward.  Fischer  was  watching 
the  streets  below.  Only  a  short  distance  away  was 
a  huge  newspaper  building,  flaring  with  lights.  The 
pavements  fringing  it  were  thronged  with  a  little 
stationary  crowd.  A  row  of  motor-bicycles  was  in 
waiting.  A  night  edition  of  the  paper  was  almost 
due. 

"  Mr.  Fischer,"  she  asked,  "  what  about  that 
news  ?  " 

He  withdrew  his  eyes  from  the  street.  Almost 
unconsciously  he  straightened  himself  a  little  in  his 
place.  There  was  pride  in  his  tone.  Behind  his 
spectacles  his  eyes  flashed. 

"  I  would  have  told  it  you  before,"  he  said,  "  but 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  201 

you  would  not  have  believed  it.  Soon  —  in  a  very 
few  moments  —  the  news  will  be  known.  You  will 
see  it  break  away  in  waves  from  that  building  down 
there,  so  I  will  bear  with  your  incredulity.  The 
German  and  British  fleets  have  met,  and  the  victory 
has  remained  with  us." 

"  With  us?  "  Pamela  repeated. 

"With  Germany,"  Fischer  corrected  himself 
hastily. 

"  Is  this  true  ?  "  James  Van  Teyl  almost  shouted. 
"  Fischer,  are  you  sure  of  what  you're  saying? 
Why,  it's  incredible !  " 

"  It  is  true,"  was  the  proud  reply.  "  The  German 
Navy  has  been  a  long  time  proving  itself.  It  has 
done  so  now.  To-day  every  German  citizen  is  the 
proudest  creature  breathing.  He  knew  before  that 
his  armies  were  invincible.  He  knows  now  that  his 
fleet  is  destined  to  make  his  country  the  mistress 
of  the  seas.  England's  day  is  over.  Her  ships  were 
badly  handled  and  foolishly  flung  into  battle.  She 
has  lost  many  of  her  finest  units.  Her  Navy  is 
to-day  a  crippled  and  maimed  force.  The  German 
fleet  is  out  in  the  North  Sea,  waiting  for  an  enemy 
who  has  disappeared." 

"  It  is  inconceivable,"  Pamela  gasped. 

"  I  do  not  ask  you  to  believe  my  word,"  Fischer 
exclaimed.  "  Look ! " 

As  though  the  flood  gates  had  been  suddenly 
opened,  the  stream  of  patient  waiters  broke  away 
from  the  newspaper  building  below.  Like  little  fire- 
flies, the  motor-bicycles  were  tearing  down  the  differ- 
ent thoroughfares.  Boys  like  ants,  with  their  bur- 


aoa  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

den  of  news  sheets,  were  running  in  every  direc- 
tion. Motor-trucks  had  started  on  their  furious 
race.  Even  the  distant  echoes  of  their  cries  came 
faintly  up.  Fischer  called  a  messenger  and  sent  him 
for  a  paper. 

"  I  do  not  know  what  report  you  will  see,"  he  said, 
"  but  from  whatever  source  it  comes  it  will  confirm 
my  story.  The  news  is  too  great  and  sweeping  to 
be  contradicted  or  ignored." 

"  If  it's  true,"  Van  Teyl  muttered,  "  you've  made 
a  fortune  in  my  office  to-day.  It  looks  like  it,  too. 
There  was  something  wrong  with  Anglo-French  be- 
side your  selling  for  the  last  hour  this  afternoon.  I 
couldn't  get  buyers  to  listen  for  a  moment." 

"  Yes,  I  shall  have  made  a  great  deal  of  money," 
Fischer  admitted,  "  money  which  I  shall  value  be- 
cause it  comes  magnificently,  but  I  hope  that  this 
victory  may  help  me  to  win  other  things." 

He  looked  fixedly  at  Pamela,  and  she  moved  un- 
easily in  her  chair.  Almost  unconsciously  the  man 
himself  seemed  somehow  associated  with  his  cause, 
to  be  assuming  a  larger  and  more  tolerant  place  in 
her  thoughts.  Perhaps  there  was  some  measure  of 
greatness  about  him  after  all.  The  strain  of  wait- 
ing for  the  papers  became  almost  intolerable.  At 
last  the  boy  reappeared.  The  great  black  head- 
lines were  stretched  out  before  her.  She  felt  the  en- 
velopment of  Fischers  triumph.  The  words  were 
there  in  solid  type,  and  the  paper  itself  was  one  of 
the  most  reliable. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  203 

GREAT  NAVAL  BATTLE  IN  THE  NORTH  SEA. 

BRITISH      ADMIRALTY      ADMITS      SERIOUS 
LOSSES. 

"QUEEN     MARY,"     "INDEFATIGABLE,"     AND 
MANY  FINE  SHIPS  LOST. 

Pamela  looked  up  from  the  sheet. 

"  It  is  too  wonderful,"  she  whispered,  with  a  note 
of  awe  in  her  tone.  "  I  don't  think  that  any  one  ever 
expected  this.  We  all  believed  in  the  British  Navy." 

"  There  is  nothing,"  Fischer  declared,  "  that  Eng- 
land can  do  which  Germany  cannot  do  better." 

"  And  America  best  of  all,"  Pamela  said. 

Fischer  bowed. 

"  That  is  one  comparison  which  will  never  now  be 
made,"  he  declared,  "  for  from  to-night  Germany 
and  America  will  draw  nearer  together.  The  bubble 
of  British  naval  omnipotence  is  pricked." 

"  Meanwhile,"  Van  Teyl  observed,  putting  his  pa- 
per away,  "  we  are  neglecting  our  dinner.  Nothing 
like  a  good  dose  of  sensationalism  for  giving  us  an 
appetite." 

Fischer  was  watching  his  glass  being  filled  with 
champagne.  He  seized  it  by  the  stem.  His  eyes  for 
a  moment  travelled  upwards. 

"  I  am  an  American  citizen,"  he  said,  with  a 
strange  fervour  in  his  tone,  "  but  for  the  moment  I 
am  called  back.  And  so  I  lift  my  glass  and  I  drink 
—  I  alone,  without  invitation  to  you  others  —  to 
those  brave  souls  who  have  made  of  the  North  Sea  a 
holy  battle-ground." 

He   drained   his   glass   and   set  it   down  empty. 


204  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Pamela  watched  him  as  though  fascinated.  For  a 
single  moment  she  was  conscious  of  a  queer  sensa- 
tion of  personal  pity  for  some  shadowy  and  absent 
friend,  of  something  almost  like  a  lump  in  her  throat, 
a  strange  instinct  of  antagonism  towards  the  man 
by  her  side  so  enveloped  in  beatific  satisfaction  — 
then  she  frowned  when  she  realised  that  she  had  been 
thinking  of  Lutchester,  that  her  first  impulse  had 
been  one  of  sympathy  for  him.  The  moment  passed. 
The  service  of  dinner  was  pressed  more  insistently 
upon  them.  James  Van  Teyl,  who  had  been  leaning 
back  in  his  chair,  talking  to  one  of  the  maitres 
d'hotel,  dismissed  him  with  a  little  nod  and  entrusted 
them  with  a  confidence. 

"  Say,  do  you  know  who's  coming  to  the  next 
table?  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Sonia !  " 

They  were  all  interested. 

"  You  won't  mind?  "  Fischer  asked  diffidently. 

"  In  a  restaurant,  how  absurd !  "  Pamela  laughed. 
"  Why,  I'm  dying  to  see  her.  I  wonder  how  it  is 
that  some  of  these  greatest  singers  in  the  world 
lead  such  extraordinary  lives  that  people  can  never 
know  anything  of  them." 

"  Society  is  tolerant  enough  nowadays,"  her 
brother  observed,  "  but  Sonia  won't  give  them  even 
a  decent  chance  to  wink  at  her  eccentricities.  She 
crossed,  you  know,  on  the  Prince  Doronda's  yacht, 
for  fear  they  wouldn't  let  her  land." 

"  Here  she  comes,"  Pamela  whispered. 

There  was  a  moment's  spellbound  silence.  Two 
maitres  d'hotel  were  hurrying  in  front.  A  pathway 
from  the  lift  had  been  cleared  as  though  for  a  royal 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  205 

personage.  Sonia,  in  white  from  head  to  foot,  a 
dream  of  white  lace  and  chinchilla,  with  a  Russian 
crown  of  pearls  in  her  glossy  black  hair,  and  a  rope 
of  pearls  around  her  neck,  came  like  a  waxen  figure, 
with  scarlet  lips  and  flashing  eyes,  towards  her  table. 
And  behind  her  —  Lutchester !  Pamela  felt  her  fin- 
gers gripping  the  tablecloth.  Her  first  impulse,  cu- 
riously enough,  was  one  of  wild  fury  with  herself  for 
that  single  instant's  pity.  Her  face  grew  cold  and 
hard.  She  felt  herself  sitting  a  little  more  upright. 
Her  eyes  remained  fixed  upon  the  newcomers. 

Lutchester's  behaviour  was  admirable.  His 
glance  swept  their  little  table  without  even  a  shadow 
of  interest.  He  ignored  with  passive  unconcern  the 
mistake  of  Van  Teyl's  attempted  greeting.  He 
looked  through  Fischer  as  though  he  had  been  a 
ghost.  He  stood  by  Sonia's  side  while  she  seated 
herself,  and  listened  with  courteous  pleasure  to  her 
excited  admiration  of  the  flowers  and  the  wonderful 
vista.  Then  he  took  his  own  place.  In  his  right 
hand  he  was  carrying  an  evening  paper  with  its 
flaming  headlines. 

"  That,"  Fischer  pronounced,  struggling  to  keep 
the  joy  from  his  tone,  "is  very  British  and  very 
magnificent !  " 

Pamela  had  imperfect  recollections  of  the  rest  of 
the  evening.  She  remembered  that  she  was  more 
than  usually  gay  throughout  dinner-time,  but  that 
she  was  the  first  to  jump  at  the  idea  of  a  hurried 
departure  and  a  visit  to  a  cabaret.  Every  now 
and  then  she  caught  a  glimpse  of  Sonia's  face,  saw 


206  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

the  challenging  light  in  her  brilliant  eyes,  heard  lit- 
tle scraps  of  her  conversation.  The  Frenchwoman 
spoke  always  in  her  own  language,  with  a  rather 
shrill  voice,  which  made  Lutchester's  replies  sound 
graver  and  quieter  than  usual.  More  than  once 
Pamela's  eyes  rested  upon  the  broad  lines  of  his 
back.  He  sat  all  the  time  like  a  rock,  courteous,  at 
times  obviously  amusing,  but  underneath  it  all  she 
fancied  that  she  saw  some  signs  of  the  disturbance 
from  which  she  herself  was  suffering.  She  rose  to 
her  feet  at  last  with  a  little  sigh  of  relief.  It  was 
an  ordeal  through  which  she  had  passed. 

Once  in  the  lift,  her  brother  and  Fischer  discussed 
Lutchester's  indiscretion  volubly. 

"  I  suppose,"  Van  Teyl  declared,  "  that  there  isn't 
a  man  in  New  York  who  wouldn't  have  jumped  at 
the  chance  of  dining  alone  with  Sonia,  but  for  an 
Englishman,  on  a  night  like  this,"  he  went  on,  glanc- 
ing at  the  paper,  "  say,  he  must  have  some  nerve ! " 

"  Or  else,"  Fischer  remarked,  "  a  wonderful  in- 
difference. So  far  as  I  have  studied  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  temperament,  I  should  be  inclined  to  vote  for 
the  indifference.  That  is  why  I  think  Germany  will 
win  the  war.  Every  man  in  that  country  prays  for 
his  country's  success,  not  only  in  words,  but  with 
his  soul.  I  have  not  found  the  same  spirit  in  Eng- 
land." 

*'  The  English  people,"  Pamela  interposed,  "  have 
a  genius  for  concealment  which  amounts  to  stupid- 
ity." 

"  I  have  a  theory,"  Fischer  said,  "  that  to  be 
phlegmatic  after  a  certain  pitch  if  a  sign  of  low 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  207 

vitality.  However,  we  shall  see.  Certainly,  if  Eng- 
land is  to  be  saved  from  her  present  trouble,  it  will 
not  be  the  Lutchesters  of  the  world  who  will  do  it, 
nor,  it  seems,  her  Navy." 

They  found  their  way  to  a  large  cabaret,  where 
Pamela  listened  to  an  indifferent  performance  a  little 
wearily.  The  news  of  what  was  termed  a  naval  dis- 
aster to  Great  Britain  was  flashed  upon  the  screen, 
and,  generally  speaking,  the  audience  was  stunned. 
Fischer  behaved  throughout  the  evening  with  tact 
and  discretion.  He  made  few  references  to  the  mat- 
ter, and  was  careful  not  to  indulge  in  any  undue 
exhilaration.  Once,  when  Van  Teyl  had  left  the 
box,  however,  to  speak  to  some  friends,  he  turned 
earnestly  to  Pamela. 

"  Will  it  please  you  soon,"  he  begged,  "  to  resume 
our  conversation  of  the  other  day?  However  you 
may  look  at  it,  things  have  changed,  have  they  not? 
An  invincible  British  Navy  has  been  one  of  the  fun- 
damental principles  of  beliefs  in  American  politics. 
Now  that  it  is  destroyed,  the  outlook  is  different. 
I  could  go  myself  to  the  proper  quarter  in  Washing- 
ton, or  Von  Schwerin  is  here  to  be  my  spokesman.  I 
have  a  fancy,  though,  to  work  with  you.  You  know 
why." 

She  moved  uneasily  in  her  place. 

"  I  have  no  idea,"  she  objected,  "  what  it  is  that 
you  have  to  propose.  Besides,  I  am  only  just  a 
woman  who  has  been  entrusted  with  a  few  diplo- 
matic errands." 

"  You  are  the  niece  of  Senator  Hastings,"  Fischer 
reminded  her,  "  and  Hastings  is  the  man  through 


208  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

whom  I  should  like  mj  proposal  to  go  to  the  Presi- 
dent. It  is  an  honest  offer  which  I  have  to  make, 
and  although  it  cannot  pass  through  official  chan- 
nels, it  is  official  in  the  highest  sense  of  the  word, 
because  it  comes  to  me  from  the  one  man  who  is 
in  a  position  to  make  himself  responsible  for  it." 

Her  brother  came  back  to  the  box  before  Pamela 
could  reply,  but,  as  they  parted  that  night,  she  gave 
Fischer  her  hand. 

"  Come  and  see  our  new  quarters,"  she  invited. 
"  I  shall  be  at  home  any  time  to-morrow  afternoon." 

It  was  one  of  the  moments  of  Fischer's  life.  He 
bowed  low  over  her  fingers. 

"  I  accept,  with  great  pleasure,"  he  murmured. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

Sonia  had  the  air  of  one  steeped  in  an  almost 
ecstatic  content.  On  her  return  from  the  roof  gar- 
den she  had  exchanged  her  wonderful  gown  for  a 
white  silk  negligee,  and  her  headdress  of  pearls  for 
a  quaint  little  cap.  She  was  stretched  upon  a  sofa 
drawn  before  the  wide-flung  French  windows  of  her 
little  sitting-room  at  the  Ritz-Carlton,  a  salon  dec- 
orated in  pink  and  white,  and  filled  almost  to  over- 
flowing with  the  roses  which  she  loved.  By  her  side, 
in  an  easy  chair  which  she  had  pressed  him  to  draw 
up  to  her  couch,  sat  Lutchester. 

"  This,"  she  murmured,  "  is  one  of  the  evenings 
which  I  adore.  I  have  no  work,  no  engagements  — 
just  one  friend  with  whom  to  talk.  My  fine  clothes 
have  done.  I  am  myself,"  she  added,  stretching  out 
her  arms.  "  I  have  my  cigarettes,  my  iced  sherbet, 
and  the  lights  and  murmur  of  the  city  there  below  to 
soothe  me.  And  you  to  talk  with  me,  my  friend. 
What  are  you  thinking  of  me  —  that  I  am  a  little 
animal  who  loves  comfort  too  much,  eh  ?  " 

Lutchester  smiled. 

"  We  all  love  comfort,"  he  replied.  "  Some  of  us 
are  franker  than  others  about  it." 

She  made  a  little  grimace. 

"  Comfort !     It  is  my  own  word,  but  what  a  word ! 


aio  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

It  is  luxury  I  worship  —  luxury  —  and  a  friend.  Is 
that,  perhaps,  another  word  too  slight,  eh?  " 

He  met  the  provocative  gleam  of  her  eyes  with  a 
smile  of  amusement. 

"You  are  just  the  same  child,  Sonia,"  he  re- 
marked. "  Neither  climate  nor  country,  nor  the  few 
passing  years,  can  change  you." 

"  It  is  you  who  have  grown  older  and  sterner," 
she  pouted.  "  It  is  you  who  have  lost  the  gift  of 
living  to-day  as  though  to-morrow  were  not.  There 
was  a  time,  was  there  not,  John,  when  you  did  not 
care  to  sit  always  so  far  away?  " 

She  laid  her  hand  —  ringless,  over-manicured,  but 
delicately  white  —  upon  his.  He  smoothed  it  gently. 

"  You  see,  Sonia,"  he  sighed,  "  troubles  have  come 
that  harden  the  hearts  even  of  the  gayest  of  us." 

She  frowned. 

"  You  are  not  going  to  remind  me  — "  she  began. 

"  If  I  reminded  you  of  anything,  Sonia,"  he  inter- 
rupted, "  I  would  remind  you  that  you  are  a  French- 
woman." 

She  stretched  out  her  hand  restlessly  and  took  one 
of  the  Russian  cigarettes  from  a  bowl  by  her 
side. 

"  You  are  not,  by  any  chance,  going  to  talk  seri- 
ously, dear  John?  " 

"  I  am,"  he  assured  her,  "  very  seriously," 

"  Oh,  la,  la !  "  she  laughed.  "  You,  my  dear,  gay 
companion,  you  who  have  shaken  the  bells  all  your 
life,  you  are  going  to  talk  seriously!  And  to-night, 
when  we  meet  again  after  so  long.  Ah,  well,  why 
should  I  be  surprised?"  she  went  on,  with  a  pout. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  an 

"  You  have  changed.  When  one  looks  into  your 
face,  one  sees  the  difference.  But  to  me,  of  all  peo- 
ple in  the  world !  Why  talk  seriously  to  me !  I  am 
just  Sonia,  the  gipsy  nightingale.  I  know  nothing 
of  serious  things." 

"  You  carry  one  very  serious  secret  in  your  heart," 
he  told  her  gravely,  "  one  little  pain  which  must 
sometimes  stab  you.  You  are  a  Frenchwoman,  and 
yet  — " 

Lutchester  paused  for  a  moment.  Sonia,  too, 
seemed  suddenly  to  have  awakened  into  a  state  of 
tense  and  vivid  emotion.  The  cigarette  burned  away 
between  her  fingers.  Her  great  eyes  were  fixed  upon 
Lutchester.  There  was  something  almost  like  fear 
in  their  questioning  depths. 

"  Finish  !     Finish !  "  she  insisted.     "  Continue !  " 

"  And  yet,"  he  went  on,  "  your  very  dear  friend, 
the  friend  for  whose  sake  you  are  here  in  America, 
is  your  country's  enemy." 

She  raised  herself  a  little  upon  the  couch. 

"  That  is  not  true,"  she  declared  furiously. 
"  Maurice  loves  France.  His  heart  aches  for  the 
misery  that  has  come  upon  her.  It  is  your  country 
only  which  he  hates.  If  France  had  but  possessed 
the  courage  to  stand  by  herself,  to  resist  when  Eng- 
land forced  her  friendship  upon  her,  none  of  this 
tragedy  would  ever  have  happened.  Maurice  has 
told  me  so  himself.  France  could  have  peace  to- 
day, peace  at  her  own  price." 

"  There  is  no  peace  which  would  leave  France  with 
a  soul,  save  the  peace  which  follows  victory,"  Lut- 
chester replied  sternly. 


312  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

She  crushed  her  cigarette  nervously  in  her  fingers, 
threw  it  away,  and  lit  another. 

"  I  will  not  talk  of  these  things  with  you,"  she 
cried.  "  It  was  not  for  this  that  you  sought  me  out, 
eh?  Tell  me  at  once?  Were  these  the  thoughts 
you  had  in  your  mind  when  you  sent  your  little  note? 
—  when  you  chose  to  show  yourself  once  more  in  my 
life?" 

For  the  first  time  of  his  own  accord  he  drew  his 
chair  a  little  nearer  to  hers.  He  took  her  hand. 
She  gave  him  both  unresistingly. 

*'  Listen,  dear  Sonia,"  he  said,  "  it  is  true  that  I 
am  a  changed  man.  I  am  older  than  when  we  met 
last,  and  there  are  the  other  things.  You  remem- 
ber the  Chateau  d' Albert?  " 

"  Of  course !  "  she  murmured.  "  And  the  young 
Due  d' Albert's  wonderful  house  party.  We  all 
motored  there  from  Paris.  You  and  I  were  together  ! 
You  have  forgotten  that,  eh?  " 

*'  I  lay  in  that  orchard  for  two  days,"  he  went  on 
grimly,  "  with  a  hole  in  my  side  and  one  leg  pretty 
nearly  done  for.  I  saw  things  I  can  never  forget, 
in  those  days,  Sonia.  D'Albert  himself  was  killed. 
It  was  in  that  first  mad  rush.  Of  the  Chateau  there 
remains  but  four  blackened  walls." 

"  Pauvre  enfant!  "  she  murmured.  "  But  you  are 
well  and  strong  again  now,  is  it  not  so?  You  will 
not  fight  again,  eh?  You  were  never  a  soldier,  dear 
friend." 

"  Just  now,"  he  confided,  "  I  have  other  work  to 
do.  It  is  that  other  work  which  has  brought  me  to 
America." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  213 

She  drew  him  a  little  closer  to  her.  Her  eyes  ques- 
tioned him. 

"  There  is,  perhaps,  now,"  she  asked,  "  a  woman 
in  your  life?  " 

"  There  is,"  he  admitted. 

She  made  a  grimace. 

"  But  how  clumsy  to  tell  me,  even  though  I  asked," 
she  exclaimed.  "  What  is  she  like?  .  .  .  But  no, 
I  do  not  wish  to  hear  of  her !  If  she  is  all  the  world 
to  you,  why  did  you  send  me  that  little  note?  Why 
are  you  here?  " 

"  Because  we  were  once  dear  friends,  Sonia,"  he 
said,  "  because  I  wish  to  save  you  from  great 
trouble." 

She  shrank  from  him  a  little  fearfully. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Sonia,"  he  continued,  with  a  note  of  sternness  in 
his  tone,  "  during  the  last  two  years  you  have  gone 
back  and  forth  between  New  York  and  Paris,  six 
times.  I  do  not  think  that  you  can  make  that  jour- 
ney again." 

She  was  standing  now,  with  one  hand  gripping 
the  edge  of  the  table. 

"John!  .  .  .  John!  .  .  .  What  do  you  mean?" 
she  demanded,  and  this  time  her  own  voice  was  hard. 

"  I  mean,"  he  said,  "  that  when  you  leave  here 
for  Paris  you  will  be  watched  day  and  night.  The 
moment  you  set  foot  upon  French  soil  you  will  be 
arrested  and  searched.  If  anything  is  found  upon 
you,  such  as  a  message  from  your  friend  in  Wash- 
ington —  well,  you  know  what  it  would  mean.  Can't 
you  see,  you  foolish  child,  the  risk  you  have  been 


214  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

running?  Would  you  care  to  be  branded  as  a  spy? 
—  you,  a  daughter  of  France?  " 

She  struck  at  him.  Her  lace  sleeves  had  fallen 
back,  and  her  white  arm,  with  its  little  clenched 
fist,  flashed  through  the  twilight,  aimlessly  yet  pas- 
sionately. 

"  You  dare  to  call  me  a  spy  1  You,  John  ?  "  she 
shrieked.  "  But  it  is  horrible." 

"  It  is  the  work  of  a  spy,"  he  told  her  gravely,  "  to 
bring  a  letter  from  any  person  in  a  friendly  capital 
and  deliver  it  to  an  enemy.  That  is  what  you  have 
done,  Sonia,  many  times  since  the  beginning  of  the 
war,  so  far  without  detection.  It  is  because  you  are 
Sonia  that  I  have  come  to  save  you  from  doing  it 
again." 

She  groped  her  way  back  to  the  couch.  She  threw 
herself  upon  it  with  her  back  towards  him,  her  head 
buried  in  her  hands. 

"  The  letters  are  only  between  friends,"  she  fal- 
tered. "  They  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  war." 

"  You  may  have  believed  that,"  Lutchester  replied 
gently,  "  but  it  is  not  true.  You  have  been  made 
the  bearer  of  confidential  communications  from  the 
Austrian  Embassy  here  to  certain  people  in  Paris 
whom  we  will  not  name.  I  have  pledged  my  word, 
Sonia,  that  this  shall  cease." 

She  sprang  to  her  feet.  All  the  feline  joy  of  her 
languorous  ease  seemed  to  have  departed.  She  was 
quivering  arid  nervous.  She  stood  over  her  writing- 
table. 

"  A  telegraph  blank !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  Quick ! 
I  will  not  see  Maurice  again.  Oh,  how  I  have  suf- 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

fered!  This  shall  end  it.  See,  I  have  written 
'  Good-by ! '  He  will  understand.  If  he  comes,  I 
will  not  see  him.  Ring  the  bell  quickly.  There  — 
it  is  finished !  " 

A  page-boy  appeared,  and  she  handed  him  the 
telegram.  Then  she  turned  a  little  pathetically  to 
Lutchester. 

"  Maurice  was  foolish  —  very  often  foolish,"  she 
went  on  unsteadily,  "  but  he  has  loved  me,  and  a 
woman  loves  love  so  much.  Now  I  shall  be  lonely. 
And  yet,  there  is  a  great  weight  gone  from  my  mind. 
Always  I  wondered  about  those  letters.  You  will 
be  my  friend,  John?  You  will  not  leave  me  all 
alone?" 

He  patted  her  hand. 

"  Dear  Sonia,"  he  whispered,  "  solitude  is  not  the 
worst  thing  one  has  to  bear,  these  days.  Try  and 
remember,  won't  you,  that  all  the  men  who  might 
have  loved  you  are  fighting  for  your  country,  one 
way  or  another." 

"  It  is  all  so  sad,"  she  faltered,  "  and  you  —  you 
are  so  stern  and  changed." 

"  It  is  with  me  only  as  it  is  with  the  whole  world," 
he  told  her.  "  To-night,  though,  you  have  relieved 
me  of  one  anxiety." 

Her  eyes  once  more  were  for  a  moment  frightened. 

"  There  was  danger  for  poor  little  me?  " 

He  nodded. 

"  It  is  past,"  he  assured  her. 

**  And  it  is  you  who  have  saved  me,"  she  mur- 
mured. "  Ah,  Mr.  John,"  she  added,  as  she  walked 
with  him  to  the  door,  "  if  ever  there  comes  to  me 


216  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

a  lover,  not  for  the  days  only  but  pour  la  vie,  I  hope 
that  he  may  be  an  Englishman  like  you,  whom  all  the 
world  trusts." 

He  laughed  and  raised  her  fingers  to  his  lips. 

"  Over-faithful,  you  called  us  once,"  he  reminded 
her. 

"  But  that  was  when  I  was  a  child,"  she  said, 
"  and  in  days  like  these  we  are  children  no  longer." 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

Lutchestcr  left  Sonia  and  the  Ritz-Carlton  a  few 
minutes  before  midnight,  to  find  a  great  yellow  moon 
overhead,  which  seemed  to  have  risen  somewhere  at 
the  back  of  Central  Park.  The  broad  thoroughfare 
up  which  he  turned  seemed  to  have  developed  a  new 
and  unfamiliar  beauty.  The  electric  lamps  shone 
with  a  pale  and  almost  unnatural  glow.  The  flashing 
lights  of  the  automobiles  passing  up  and  down  were 
almost  whimsically  unnecessary.  Lutchester  walked 
slowly  up  Fifth  Avenue  in  the  direction  of  his 
hotel. 

Something  —  the  beauty  of  the  night,  perhaps,  or 
some  faint  aftermath  of  sentimentality  born  of 
Sonia's  emotion  —  tempted  him  during  those  few  mo- 
ments to  relax.  He  threw  aside  his  mask  and 
breathed  the  freer  for  it.  Once  more  he  was  a 
human  being,  treading  the  streets  of  a  real  city,  his 
feet  very  much  upon  the  earth,  his  heart  full  of  the 
simplest  things.  All  the  scheming  of  the  last  few 
days  was  forgotten,  the  great  issues,  the  fine  yet 
devious  way  to  be  steered  amidst  the  rocks  which 
beset  him;  even  the  depression  of  the  calamitous 
news  from  the  North  Sea  passed  away.  He  was  a 
very  simple  human  being,  and  he  was  in  love.  It 
was  all  so  unpractical,  so  illusionary,  and  yet  so 
real.  Events,  actual  happenings  —  he  thrust  all 


218  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

thoughts  of  these  away  from  his  mind.  What  she 
might  be  thinking  of  him  at  the  moment  he  ignored. 
He  was  content  to  let  his  thoughts  rest  upon  her, 
to  walk  through  the  moonlit  street,  his  brain  and 
heart  revelling  in  that  subtle  facility  of  the  im- 
agination which  brought  her  so  easily  to  his  pres- 
ence. It  was  such  a  vividly  real  Pamela,  too,  who 
spoke  and  walked  and  moved  by  his  side.  His  mem- 
ory failed  him  nowhere,  followed  faithfully  the  kalei- 
doscopic changes  in  her  face  and  tone,  showed  him 
even  that  long,  grateful,  searching  glance  when  their 
eyes  had  met  in  Von  Teyl's  sitting-room.  There  had 
been  times  when  she  had  shown  clearly  enough  that 
she  was  anxious  to  understand,  anxious  to  believe 
in  him.  He  clung  to  the  memory  of  these;  pushed 
into  the  background  that  faint  impression  he  had  had 
of  her  at  the  roof-garden,  serene  and  proud,  yet  with 
a  faint  look  of  something  like  pain  in  her  startled 
eyes. 

A  large  limousine  passed  him  slowly,  crawling  up 
Fifth  Avenue.  Lutchester,  with  all  his  gifts  of  ob- 
servation dormant,  took  no  notice  of  its  occupant, 
who  leaned  forward,  raised  the  speaking-tube  to  his 
lips,  and  talked  for  a  moment  to  his  chauffeur.  The 
car  glided  round  a  side  street  and  came  to  a  stand- 
still against  the  curb.  Its  solitary  passenger 
stepped  quietly  out  and  entered  a  restaurant.  The 
chauffeur  backed  the  car  a  little,  slipped  from  his 
place,  and  followed  Lutchester. 

By  chance  the  little  throng  of  people  here  became 
thicker  for  a  few  moments  and  then  ceased.  Lut- 
chester drew  a  little  sigh  of  relief  as  he  saw  before 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  219 

him  almost  an  empty  pavement.  Then,  just  as  he 
was  relapsing  once  more  into  thought,  some  part 
of  his  subconscious  instinct  suddenly  leaped  into 
warning  life.  Without  any  actual  perception  of 
what  it  might  mean,  he  felt  the  thrill  of  imminent 
danger,  connected  it  with  that  soft  footfall  behind 
him,  and  swung  round  in  time  to  seize  a  deadly 
uplifted  hand  which  seemed  to  end  in  a  shimmer  of 
dull  steel.  His  assailant  flung  himself  upon  Lut- 
chester  with  the  lithe  ferocity  of  a  cat,  clinging  to 
his  body,  twisting  and  turning  his  arm  to  wrest  it 
free.  It  was  a  matter  of  seconds  only  before  his 
intended  victim,  with  a  fierce  backward  twist,  broke 
the  man's  wrist  and,  wrenching  himself  free  from 
the  knees  which  clung  around  him,  flung  him  forcibly 
against  the  railings  which  bordered  the  pavement. 
Lutchester  paused  for  a  moment  to  recover  his  breath 
and  looked  around.  A  man  from  the  other  side  of 
the  street  was  running  towards  them,  but  no  one 
else  seemed  to  have  noticed  the  struggle  which  had 
begun  and  finished  in  less  than  thirty  seconds.  The 
man,  who  was  half-way  across  the  thoroughfare,  sud- 
denly stopped  short.  He  shouted  a  warning  to  Lut- 
chester, who  swung  around.  His  late  assailant,  who 
had  been  lying  motionless,  had  raised  himself  slightly, 
with  a  revolver  clenched  in  his  left  hand.  Lutches- 
ter's  spring  on  one  side  saved  his  life,  for  the  bullet 
passed  so  close  to  his  cheek  that  he  felt  the  rush  and 
heat  of  the  air.  The  man  in  the  center  of  the  road 
was  busy  shouting  an  alarm  vociferously,  and  other 
people  on  both  sides  of  the  thoroughfare  were  run- 
ning up.  Lutchester's  eyes  now  never  left  the  dark, 


220  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

doubled-up  figure  upon  the  pavement.  His  whole 
body  was  tense.  He  was  prepared  at  the  slightest 
movement  to  spring  in  upon  his  would-be  murderer. 
The  man's  eyes  seemed  to  be  burning  in  his  white 
face.  He  called  out  to  Lutchester  hoarsely. 

"  Don't  move  or  I  shall  shoot !  " 

He  looked  up  and  down  the  street.  One  of  the 
nearest  of  the  hastening  figures  was  a  policeman. 
He  turned  the  revolver  against  his  own  temple  and 
pulled  the  trigger.  .  .  . 

Lutchester  and  a  policeman  walked  slowly  back 
along  Fifth  Avenue.  Behind  them,  a  little  crowd 
was  still  gathered  around  the  spot  from  which  the 
body  of  the  dead  man  had  already  been  removed  in 
an  ambulance. 

"  I  really  remember  nothing,"  Lutchester  told  his 
companion,  "  until  I  heard  the  footsteps  behind  me, 
and,  turning  round,  saw  the  knife.  This  is  simply 
an  impression  of  mine  —  that  he  might  have  de- 
scended from  the  car  which  passed  me  and  stopped 
just  round  the  corner  of  that  street." 

"  He's  a  chauffeur,  right  enough,"  the  inspector 
remarked.  "  It  don't  seem  to  have  been  a  chance 
job,  either.  Looks  as  though  he  meant  doing  you 
in.  Got  any  enemies  ?  " 

"  None  that  I  know  of,"  Lutchester  answered 
cautiously.  "  Why,  the  car's  there  still,"  he  added, 
as  they  reached  the  corner. 

"  And  no  chauffeur,"  the  other  muttered. 

The  officer  searched  the  car  and  drew  out  a  license 
from  the  flap  pocket.  The  commissionaire  from  the 
restaurant  approached  them. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  221 

"  Say,  what  are  you  doing  with  that  car?  "  he  de- 
manded. 

"  Better  fetch  the  gentleman  to  whom  it  belongs," 
the  inspector  directed. 

"  What's  up,  anyway  ?  "  the  man  persisted. 

"  You  do  as  you're  told,"  was  the  sharp  reply. 

The  commissionaire  disappeared.  The  officer 
studied  the  license  which  he  had  just  opened. 

"  What's  the  name  ?  "  Lutchester  inquired. 

The  man  hesitated  for  a  moment,  then  passed  it 
over. 

"  Oscar  H.  Fischer,"  he  said.  "  Happen  to  know 
the  name?  " 

Lutchester's  face  was  immovable.  He  passed  the 
license  back  again.  They  both  turned  round.  Mr. 
Fischer  had  issued  from  the  restaurant. 

"  What's  wrong?  "  he  asked  hastily.  "  The  com- 
missionaire says  you  want  me,  Mr.  Officer  ?  " 

The  inspector  produced  his  pocketbook. 

"  Just  want  to  ask  you  a  few  questions  about  your 
chauffeur,  sir." 

Fischer  glanced  at  the  driver's  seat  of  the  car,  as 
though  aware  of  the  man's  disappearance  for  the 
first  time. 

"  What's  become  of  the  fellow?  "  he  inquired. 

"  Shot  himself,"  the  inspector  replied,  "  after  a 
deliberate  attempt  to  murder  this  gentleman." 

Mr.  Fischer's  composure  was  admirable.  There 
was  a  touch  of  gravity  mingled  with  his  bewilderment. 
Nevertheless,  he  avoided  meeting  Lutchester's  eyes. 

"  You  horrify  me ! "  he  exclaimed.  "  Why,  the 
fellow's  only  been  driving  for  me  for  a  few  hours." 


222  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  That  so  ?  "  the  officer  remarked,  with  a  grunt. 
"  Get  any  references  with  him  ?  " 

"  As  a  matter  of  fact,  I  did  not,"  Fischer  admitted 
frankly.  "  I  discharged  my  chauffeur  yesterday,  at 
a  moment's  notice,  and  this  man  happened  to  call 
just  as  I  was  wanting  the  car  out  this  afternoon. 
He  promised  to  bring  me  references  to-morrow  from 
Mr.  Gould  and  others.  I  engaged  him  on  that  un- 
derstanding. He  told  me  that  his  name  was  Kay  — 
Robert  Kay.  That  is  all  that  I  know  about  him, 
except  that  he  was  an  excellent  driver.  I  am  ex- 
ceedingly sorry  Mr.  Lutchester,"  he  went  on,  turn- 
ing towards  him,  "  that  this  should  have  happened." 

"  So  you  two  know  one  another,  eh?  "  the  officer 
observed. 

"  Oh,  yes,  we  know  one  another ! "  Lutchester  ad- 
mitted drily. 

"  I  shall  have  to  ask  you  both  for  your  names  and 
addresses,"  the  official  continued.  "  I  think  I  won't 
ask  you  any  more  questions  at  present.  Seems  to 
me  headquarters  had  better  take  this  on." 

"  I  shall  be  quite  at  your  service,"  Lutchester 
promised. 

The  man  made  a  few  more  notes,  saluted,  and  took 
his  leave.  Fischer  and  Lutchester  remained  for  a 
moment  upon  the  pavement. 

"  It  is  a  dangerous  custom,"  Lutchester  remarked, 
"  to  take  a  servant  without  a  reference." 

"  It  will  be  a  warning  to  me  for  the  remainder  of 
my  life,"  Fischer  declared. 

"  I,  too,  have  learnt  something,"  Lutchester  con- 
cluded, as  he  turned  away. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

Fischer,  as  he  waited  for  Pamela  the  following 
afternoon  in  the  sitting-room  of  her  flat  on  Fifty- 
eighth  Street,  felt  that  although  the  practical  fu- 
ture of  his  life  might  be  decided  in  other  places,  it 
was  here  that  its  real  climax  would  be  reached. 
Pamela  herself  was  to  pronounce  sentence  upon  him. 
He  was  feeling  scarcely  at  his  best.  An  examination 
in  the  courthouse,  which  he  had  imagined  would  last 
only  a  few  minutes,  had  been  protracted  throughout 
the  afternoon.  The  district  attorney  had  asked  him 
a  great  many  questions,  some  rather  awkward  ones, 
and  the  inquiry  itself  had  been  almost  grudgingly 
adjourned  for  a  few  hours.  And  here,  in  Pamela's 
sitting-room,  the  first  things  which  caught  his  eye 
were  the  headlines  of  one  of  the  afternoon  papers : 

WESTERN  MILLIONAIRE  ENGAGES 

THE  GIRL  HESTE'S  MURDERER 

AS  CHAUFFEUR! 

ATTEMPTED  MURDER  AND  SUICIDE 

IN  FIFTH  AVENUE 

LAST  NIGHT. 

Fischer  pushed  the  newspaper  impatiently  away, 
and,  in  the  act  of  doing  so,  the  door  was  opened 


224  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

and  Pamela  entered.  She  came  towards  him  with 
outstretched  hand. 

"  I  see  you  are  looking  at  the  account  of  your 
misdeeds,"  she  said,  as  she  seated  herself  behind  a 
tea  tray.  "  Will  you  tell  me  why  a  cautious  man 
like  you  engages,  without  reference,  a  chauffeur  who 
turns  out  to  be  a  murderer?  " 

Fischer  frowned  irritably. 

"  For  four  hours,"  he  complained,  "  several 
lawyers  and  a  most  inquisitive  police  captain  have 
been  asking  me  the  same  question  in  a  hundred  dif- 
ferent ways.  I  engaged  the  man  because  I  needed  a 
chauffeur  badly.  He  was  to  have  brought  his  refer- 
ences this  morning.  I  was  only  trusting  him  for  a 
matter  of  a  few  hours." 

"  And  during  those  few  hours,"  she  observed,  "  he 
seems  to  have  developed  a  violent  antipathy  to  Mr. 
Lutchester." 

"  I  do  not  understand  the  affair  at  all,"  Mr. 
Fischer  declared,  "  and,  if  I  may  say  so,  I  am  a  little 
weary  of  it.  I  came  here  to  discuss  another  matter 
altogether." 

She  leaned  back  in  her  place. 

"What  have  you  come  to  discuss,  Mr.  Fischer?" 

"  That  depends  so  much  upon  you,"  he  replied. 
"  If  you  give  me  any  encouragement,  I  can  put 
before  you  a  great  proposition.  If  your  prejudices, 
however,  remain  as  I  think  they  always  have  been, 
on  the  side  of  England,  why  then  I  can  do  nothing." 

"  If  I  counted  for  anything,"  Pamela  said,  "  I 
mean  to  say  if  it  mattered  to  any  one  what  my 
attitude  was,  I  would  start  by  admitting  that  my 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  325 

s}Tnpathies  are  somewhat  on  the  side  of  the  Allies. 
On  the  other  hand,  my  sympathies  amount  to  noth- 
ing at  all  compared  with  my  interest  in  the  welfare 
of  the  United  States.  I  am  perfectly  selfish  in  that 
respect." 

"  Then  you  have  an  open  mind  to  hear  what  I 
have  to  say,"  Fischer  remarked.  "  I  am  glad  of  it. 
You  encourage  me  to  proceed." 

"  That  is  all  very  well,"  Pamela  said,  stirring  her 
tea,  "  but  I  cannot  help  asking  once  more  why  you 
come  to  me  at  all?  What  have  I  to  do  with  any 
proposition  you  may  have  to  make?  " 

"  Just  this,"  he  explained.  "  I  have  a  serious  and 
authentic  proposition  to  make  to  the  American  Gov- 
ernment. I  cannot  make  it  officially  —  although  it 
comes  from  the  highest  of  all  sources  —  for  the 
most  obvious  reasons.  It  may  seem  better  worth 
listening  to  to-day,  perhaps,  than  a  week  ago,  so 
far  as  you  are  concerned.  That  is  because  you  be- 
lieved in  British  invincibility  upon  the  sea.  I  never 
did." 

"  Go  on,  please,"  Pamela  begged.  "  I  am  still 
waiting  to  realise  my  position  in  all  this." 

"  I  should  like,"  Fischer  declared,  "  my  proposi- 
tion to  reach  the  President  through  Senator  Hast- 
ings, and  Senator  Hastings  is  your  uncle." 

"  I  see,"  Pamela  murmured. 

"  My  offer  itself  is  a  very  simple  one,"  Fischer 
continued.  "  Your  secret  service  is  so  bad  that  you 
probably  know  nothing  of  what  is  happening.  Ours, 
on  the  other  hand,  is  still  marvellously  good,  and 
what  I  am  going  to  tell  you  is  surely  the  truth. 


226  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Japan  is  accumulating  great  wealth.  She  is  saving 
her  ships  and  men  for  one  purpose,  and  one  pur- 
pose only.  Europe  could  not  bribe  her  highly 
enough  to  take  a  more  active  part  in  this  war.  Her 
price  was  one  which  could  not  be  paid.  She  de- 
manded a  free  hand  with  the  United  States." 

"  This,"  Pamela  admitted,  "  is  quite  interesting, 
but  it  is  entirely  in  the  realms  of  conjecture,  is  it 
not?" 

"  Not  wholly,"  Fischer  insisted.  "  At  the  proper 
time  I  should  be  prepared  to  bring  you  evidence  that 
tentative  proposals  were  made  by  Japan  to  both 
England  and  France,  asking  what  would  be  their 
attitude,  should  she  provide  them  with  half  a  million 
men  and  undertake  transport,  if  at  the  conclusion  of 
the  war  she  desired  a  settlement  with  the  United 
States.  The  answer  from  France  and  England  was 
the  same  —  that  they  could  not  countenance-  an 
inimical  attitude  towards  the  States." 

"  You  are  bound  to  admit,  then,"  Pamela  re- 
marked, "  that  England  played  the  game  here." 

"  The  bribe  was  not  big  enough,"  Fischer  replied 
drily.  "  England  would  sell  her  soul,  but  not  for  a 
mess  of  pottage.  To  proceed,  however,  Japan  has 
practically  kept  out  of  the  war.  She  is  enjoying  a 
prosperity  never  known  before,  and  for  every  million 
pounds'  worth  of  munitions  she  exports  to  Russia, 
she  puts  calmly  on  one  side  twenty-five  per  cent,  to 
accumulate  for  her  own  use.  At  the  conclusion  of 
the  war  she  will  be  in  a  position  she  has  never  oc- 
cupied before,  and  while  the  rest  of  the  world  is  still 
gasping,  she  will  proceed  to  carry  out  what  has  been 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

the  dream  of  her  life  —  the  invasion  of  your  Western 
States." 

"  I  admit  that  this  is  plausible,"  Pamela  confessed, 
"  but  you  are  only  pointing  out  a  very  obvious 
danger,  for  which  I  imagine  that  we  are  already 
fairly  well  prepared." 

"  Believe  me,"  Fischer  said  earnestly,  "  you  are 
not.  It  is  this  fact  which  makes  the  whole  situation 
so  vital  to  you.  Later  on  in  our  negotiations,  I  will 
show  you  proof  of  your  danger.  Meanwhile,  let  me 
proceed  to  the  offer  which  I  am  empowered  to  make, 
which  comes  direct  from  the  one  person  in  Germany 
whose  word  is  unshakable." 

Pamela  changed  her  position  a  little,  as  though  to 
escape  from  the  sunlight  which  was  finding  its  way 
underneath  the  broad  blinds.  Hef  ryes  were  fixed 
upon  her  visitor.  She  listened  intently  to  every 
word  he  had  to  say.  Despite  some  vague  feeling  of 
mistrust,  which  she  acknowledged  to  herself  might 
well  have  been  prejudiced,  she  found  the  situation 
interesting,  even  stimulating.  Her  few  excursions 
into  the  world  of  high  politics  had  never  brought  her 
into  such  a  position  as  this.  She  felt  both  flattered 
and  interested  —  attracted,  too,  in  some  nameless 
way,  by  the  man's  personality,  his  persistence,  his 
daring,  his  whole-heartedness.  The  situation  was 
instinct  with  interest  to  her. 

"  But  why  make  it  to  me  ?  "  she  murmured. 

"  You  arc  to  be  my  delegate,"  he  answered. 
"  Take  the  substance  of  what  I  say  to  you,  to  your 
uncle.  Try,  for  your  country's  sake,  to  interest  him 
in  it  The  offer  which  I  make  shall  save  you  a  vast 


228  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

amount  of  sacrifice.  It  shall  save  your  dislocating 
the  industries  of  the  country  and  sowing  the  seeds  of 
a  disturbing  and  yet  inadequate  militarism.  I  offer 
you,  in  short,  a  German  alliance  against  Japan." 

"  The  value  of  that  offer,"  Pamela  remarked 
thoughtfully,  "  would  depend  rather  upon  the  issue 
of  the  present  war,  wouldn't  it?  " 

Fischer's  face  darkened.  His  tone  was  almost 
irritable. 

*'  That  is  already  preordained,"  he  said  firmly. 
"  You  see,  I  will  be  quite  frank  with  you.  Germany 
has  lost  her  chance  of  sweeping  and  complete  vic- 
tory. The  result  of  the  war  will  be  a  return  to  the 
status-quo-ante.  Yet,  believe  me,  Germany  will  be 
strong  enough  to  settle  some  of  the  debts  she  owes, 
and  the  debt  to  Japan  is  one  of  these." 

"  Still,  there  is  the  practical  question  of  getting 
men  and  ships  over  from  Germany  to  America," 
Pamela  persisted. 

"  It  is  already  solved,"  was  the  swift  reply.  "  At 
the  proper  time  I  will  show  you  and  prove  how  it 
can  be  done.  At  present,  not  one  word  can  pass 
my  lips.  It  is  one  of  the  secrets  on  which  the  future 
of  Germany  depends." 

"  And  the  price?  "  Pamela  asked. 

"  That  America  adopts  our  view  as  to  the  high 
seas  traffic,"  Fischer  replied.  "  This  would  mean 
the  stopping  of  all  supplies,  munitions  and  ammu- 
nition from  America  to  England.  We  offer  you  an 
alliance.  We  ask  only  for  your  real  and  actual 
neutrality  for  the  remainder  of  the  war.  We  offer  a 
great  and  substantial  advantage,  a  safeguard  for 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  aag 

your  country's  future,  in  return  for  what?  Simply 
that  America  will  pursue  the  course  of  honour  and 
integrity  to  all  nations." 

"  America,"  Pamela  declared,  "  has  never  failed  in 
this." 

Fischer  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  There  is  more  than  one  point  of  view,"  he  re- 
minded her.  "  Will  you  take  my  message  with  you 
to  Washington  to-morrow?  " 

"  Yes,"  Pamela  promised,  "  I  will  do  that.  The 
rest,  of  course,  remains  with  others.  I  do  not  myself 
go  so  far,  even,"  she  added,  "  as  to  declare  myself 
in  sympathy  with  you." 

"  And  yet,"  he  insisted,  with  swift  violence,  "  it  is 
your  sympathy  which  I  desire  more  than  anything 
in  the  world  —  your  sympathy,  your  help,  your  com- 
panionship ;  a  little  —  a  very  little  at  first  —  of  your 
love." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  I  am  not  a  very  satisfactory 
person  from  that  point  of  view,"  Pamela  confessed. 
"  I  have  a  great  sympathy  with  every  man  who  is 
really  out  for  the  great  things,  but  so  far  as  you  are 
concerned,  Mr.  Fischer,  or  any  one  else,"  she  went 
on,  after  a  moment's  hesitation,  "  I  have  no  personal 
feeling." 

"  That  shall  come,"  he  declared. 

"  Then  please  wait  a  little  time  before  you  talk 
to  me  again  like  this,"  she  said,  rising  and  hold- 
ing out  her  hand.  "  At  present  there  is  no  sign 
of  it." 

"  There  is  so  much  that  I  could  offer  you,"  he 
pleaded,  gripping  the  hand  which  she  had  given  him 


230  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

in  farewell,  "  so  much  that  I  could  do  for  your 
country.  Believe  me,  I  am  not  talking  idly." 

"  I  do  believe  that,"  she  admitted.  "  You  are  a 
very  clever  man,  Mr.  Fischer,  and  I  think  that  you 
represent  all  that  you  claim.  Perhaps,  if  we  really 
do  negotiate  — " 

"  But  you  must ! "  he  interrupted  impatiently. 
"  You  must  listen  to  me  for  every  reason  —  politi- 
cally for  your  country's  sake,  personally  because  I 
shall  offer  you  and  give  you  happiness  and  a  position 
you  could  never  find  elsewhere." 

For  a  moment  her  eyes  seemed  to  be  looking 
through  him,  as  though  some  vision  of  things  outside 
the  room  were  troubling  her.  Her  finger  had  al- 
ready touched  the  bell  and  a  servant  was  standing 
upon  the  threshold. 

"  We  shall  meet  in  Washington,"  Mr.  Fischer 
concluded,  with  an  air  of  a  prophet,  as  he  took  his 
leave. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

It  was  within  half  an  hour  of  closing  time  that 
same  afternoon  when  Lutchester  walked  into  James 
Van  Teyl's  office.  The  young  man  greeted  him  with 
some  surprise. 

"  Will  you  do  some  business  for  me?  "  Lutchester 
asked,  without  any  preliminaries. 

"  Sure !  " 

"  How  many  Anglo-French  will  you  buy  for  me  ? 
I  can  obtain  credit  by  cable  to-morrow  through  any 
bank  for  twenty  or  thirty  thousand  pounds." 

"  You  want  to  buy  Anglo-French?  "  Van  Teyl  re- 
peated softly. 

His  visitor  nodded. 

"  Any  news  ?  " 

Lutchester  hesitated,  and  Van  Teyl  continued  with 
an  apologetic  gesture. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon.  That's  not  my  job,  any- 
way, to  ask  questions.  I'll  buy  you  twenty-five 
thousand,  if  you  like.  Guess  they  can't  drop  much 
lower." 

Lutchester  sat  down. 

"  Thank  you,"  he  said,  "  I  will  wait." 

A  little  ripple  of  excitement  went  through  the  of- 
fice as  Van  Teyl  started  his  negotiations.  It  seemed 
to  Lutchester  that  several  telephones  and  half  a 


332  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

dozen  perspiring  young  men  were  called  into  his  serv- 
ice. In  the  end  Van  Teyl  made  out  a  note  and 
handed  it  to  him. 

"  I  could  have  done  better  for  you  yesterday,"  he 
observed.  "  The  market  is  strengthening  all  the 
time.  There  are  probably  some  rumours." 

A  boy  went  by  along  the  pavement  outside  waving 
a  handful  of  papers.  His  cry  floated  in  through  the 
open  window: 

REPORTED   LOSS   OF    MANY   MORE    GERMAN 

BATTLESHIPS. 
BRITISH  CLAIM  VICTORY. 

Van  Teyl  grinned. 

"  You  got  here  just  in  time,"  he  murmured,  **  but 
I  suppose  you  knew  all  about  this." 

"  I  have  known  since  three  o'clock,"  Lutchester 
replied,  "  that  all  the  reports  of  a  German  victory 
were  false.  You  will  find,  when  the  truth  is  known, 
that  the  German  losses  were  greater  than  the 
British." 

"Then  if  that's  so,"  Van  Teyl  remarked,  "I've 
got  one  client  who'll  lose  a  hatful  which  you  ought 
to  make.  Coming  up  town  ?  " 

"  I  should  like,  if  I  may,"  Lutchester  said,  "  to  be 
permitted  to  pay  my  respects  to  your  sister." 

"  Why,  that's  fine !  "  Van  Teyl  exclaimed  uncon- 
vincingly.  "  We'll  take  the  subway  up." 

They  left  the  office  and  plunged  into  the  indescrib- 
able horrors  of  their  journey.  When  they  stepped 
out  into  the  sunlit  street  in  another  atmosphere, 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  233 

Van  Tevl  laid  his  hand  upon  his  companion's  arm  in 
friendly  fashion. 

"  Say,  Lutchester,"  he  began,  "  I  don't  know  that 
you  are  going  to  find  Pamela  exactly  all  that  she 
might  be  in  the  way  of  amiability  and  so  on.  I  know 
these  things  are  done  on  the  other  side,  but  here 
it's  considered  trying  your  friends  pretty  high  to 
take  a  lady  of  Sonia's  reputation  where  you  are 
likely  to  meet  your  friends.  No  offence,  eh?" 

"  Certainly  not,"  Lutchester  replied.  "  I  was 
sorry,  of  course,  to  see  you  last  night.  On  the  other 
hand,  Sonia  is  an  old  friend,  and  my  dinner  with  her 
had  an  object.  I  think  I  could  explain  it  to  your 
sister." 

"  I  don't  know  that  I  should  try,"  Van  Teyl  ad- 
vised. "  For  all  her  cosmopolitanism,  Pamela  has 
some  quaint  ideas.  However,  I  thought  I'd  warn 
you,  in  case  she's  a  bit  awkward." 

Pamela,  however,  had  no  idea  of  being  awkward. 
She  welcomed  Lutchester  with  a  very  sweet  smile, 
and  gave  him  the  tips  of  her  fingers. 

"  I  was  wondering  whether  we  should  see  you  again 
before  we  went,"  she  said.  "  We  are  leaving  for 
Washington  to-morrow." 

"  By  the  three  o'clock  train,  I  hope  ?  "  he  ven- 
tured. 

She  raised  her  eyebrows. 

"  Why,  are  you  going,  too  ?  " 

"  I  hope  so." 

"  I  should  have  thought  most  of  the  munition 
works,"  she  observed,  "  were  further  north." 

"  They  are,"  he  acknowledged,  "  but  I  have  busi- 


234  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

ness  in  Washington.  By  the  bye,  will  you  both  come 
out  and  dine  with  me  to-night?  " 

Van  Teyl  glanced  at  his  sister.  She  shook  her 
head. 

"  I  am  so  sorry,"  she  said,  "  but  we  are  engaged. 
Perhaps  we  shall  see  something  of  you  in  Washing- 
ton." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  you  will,"  Lutchester  replied. 
"  All  the  same,"  he  added,  "  it  would  give  me  very 
great  pleasure  to  entertain  you  at  dinner  this  eve- 
ning." 

"  Why  particularly  this  evening?  "  she  asked. 

He  looked  at  her  with  a  queer  directness,  and 
Pamela  felt  certain  very  excellent  resolutions  crum- 
bling. She  suffered  her  brother  to  leave  the  room 
without  a  word. 

"  Because,"  he  explained,  "  I  think  you  will  find  a 
different  atmosphere  everywhere.  There  will  be 
news  in  the  evening  papers." 

"  News  ?  "  she  repeated  eagerly.  "  You  know  I 
am  always  interested  in  that." 

"  The  reports  of  a  German  naval  victory  were  not 
only  exaggerated,"  Lutchester  said  calmly ;  "  they 
were  untrue.  Our  own  official  announcement  was 
clumsy  and  tactless,  but  you  will  find  it  amplified 
and  explained  to-night." 

Pamela  listened  with  an  interest  which  bordered 
upon  excitement. 

"  You  are  sure?  "  she  exclaimed. 

"  Absolutely,"  he  replied.  "  My  notification  is 
official." 

"  So  you  think  if  we  dined  with  you,  the  atmo- 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  235 

sphere  to-night  would  be  different?  "  she  observed, 
with  a  sudden  attempt  at  the  recondite. 

Lutchester  looked  into  her  eyes  without  flinching. 
Pamela,  to  her  annoyance,  was  worsted  in  the 
momentary  duel. 

"  We  cannot  always  choose  our  atmosphere,"  he 
reminded  her. 

"  Mademoiselle  Sonia  is  perhaps  connected  with 
the  regulation  of  the  munition  supplies  from 
America?  " 

"  Mademoiselle  Sonia,"  Lutchester  asserted,  "  is 
an  old  friend  of  mine.  Apart  from  that,  it  was  my 
business  to  talk  to  her." 

"  Your  business?  " 

Lutchester  assented  with  perfect  gravity. 

"  Within  a  day  or  two,"  he  said,  "  now,  if  you 
made  a  point  of  it,  I  could  explain  a  great  deal." 

Pamela  threw  herself  into  a  chair  almost  irritably. 

"  You  have  the  cult  of  being  mysterious,  Mr.  Lut- 
chester," she  declared.  "  To  be  quite  frank  with 
you,  you  seem  to  be  the  queerest  mixture  of  any  man 
I  ever  knew." 

"  It  is  the  fault  of  circumstances,"  he  regretted, 
"  if  I  am  sometimes  compelled  to  present  myself  to 
you  in  an  unfavourable  light.  Those  circumstances 
are  passing.  You  will  soon  begin  to  value  me  at 
my  true  worth." 

"  We  had  half  promised,"  Pamela  murmured,  "  to 
go  out  with  Mr.  Fischer  this  evening." 

"  The  more  reason  for  my  intervention,"  Lut- 
chester observed.  "  Fischer  is  not  a  fit  person  for 
you  to  associate  with." 


236  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

She  laughed  curiously. 

"  People  who  saw  you  at  the  roof-garden  last 
night  might  say  that  you  were  scarcely  a  judge," 
Pamela  retorted. 

"  People  who  did  not  know  the  circumstances 
might  have  considered  me  guilty  of  an  indiscretion," 
Lutchester  admitted,  "  but  they  would  have  been 
entirely  wrong.  On  the  other  hand,  your  friend 
Fischer  is  a  would-be  murderer,  a  liar,  and  is  at  the 
present  moment  engaged  in  intrigues  which  are  a 
most  immoral  compound  of  duplicity  and  cunning." 

"  I  shall  begin  to  think,"  Pamela  murmured, 
"  that  you  don't  like  Mr.  Fischer !  " 

"  I  detest  him  heartily,"  Lutchester  confessed. 

"  I  find  him  singularly  interesting,"  Pamela  an- 
nounced, sitting  up  in  her  chair. 

"  I  dare  say  you  do,"  Lutchester  replied. 
"  Women  are  always  bad  judges  of  our  sex.  All  the 
same,  you  are  not  going  to  marry  him." 

"How  do  you  know  he  wants  to  marry  me?" 
Pamela  demanded. 

« Instinct !  " 

"  And  what  do  you  mean  by  saying  that  I  am  not 
going  to  marry  him?  " 

"  Because,"  Lutchester  announced,  "  you  are 
going  to  marry  some  one  else." 

Pamela  rose  to  her  feet.  There  was  a  little  spot 
of  colour  in  her  cheeks. 

"  Am  I  indeed !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  And  whom, 
pray?  " 

"  That  I  will  tell  you  at  Washington,"  Lutchester 
promised. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  237 

"  You  know  his  name,  then  ?  " 

"  I  know  him  intimately,"  was  the  cool  reply. 
"  What  about  our  dinner  to-night?  " 

"  We  are, going  to  dine  with  Mr.  Fischer,"  Pamela 
decided. 

"  I  really  don't  think  so,"  Lutchester  objected. 
"  For  one  thing,  Mr.  Fischer  will  probably  have  to 
attend  the  police  court  again  later  on." 

"What  about?" 

"  For  having  hired  a  famous  murderer  to  try  and 
get  rid  of  me,"  Lutchester  explained  suavely. 

"Do  you  really  believe  that?"  Pamela  scoffed. 
"  Why  should  he  want  to  get  rid  of  you  ?  What 
harm  can  you  do  him?  " 

"  I  am  trying  to  find  out,"  Lutchester  replied 
grimly.  "  Still,  since  you  ask  the  question,  the 
pocketbook  which  is  on  its  way  to  Germany,  and 
which  I  picked  up  when  Nikasti  was  taken  ill  — " 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  know  about  that ! "  Pamela  inter- 
rupted. "  That  is  the  one  thing  that  always  sets  me 
thinking  about  you.  What  did  you  do  it  f or  ?  How 
did  you  know  what  it  meant  to  me  ?  " 

"  Divination,  I  imagine,"  Lutchester  answered, 
"  or  perhaps  I  was  thinking  what  it  might  mean  to 
Mr.  Fischer." 

She  looked  at  him  and  her  face  was  a  study  in 
mixed  expressions.  Her  forehead  was  a  little 
knitted,  her  eyes  almost  strained  in  their  desire  to 
read  him;  her  lips  were  petulant. 

"  Dear  me,  what  a  puzzle  you  are !  "  she  exclaimed. 
"  All  the  same,  I  am  going  to  wait  for  Mr.  Fischer. 
It  doesn't  matter  whether  one  dines  or  sups.  I  sup- 


s38  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

pose  he  will  get  away  from  the  police  court  some- 
time or  other." 

"  But  anyway,"  he  protested,  "  you've  heard  all 
that  Mr.  Fischer  has  to  say.  Now  I,  on  the  other 
hand,  haven't  shown  you  my  hand  yet." 

"Heard  all  that  Mr.  Fischer  has  to  say?"  she 
repeated. 

"  Certainly !  Wasn't  he  here  for  several  hours 
with  you  this  afternoon?  Didn't  he  promise  you  an 
alliance  with  Germany  against  Japan,  if  you  could 
persuade  certain  people  at  Washington  to  change 
their  tone  and  attitude  towards  the  export  of  muni- 
tions?" 

"  This,"  she  declared,  trying  to  keep  a  certain 
agitation  from  her  tone,  "  is  mere  bluff." 

Lutchestcr  was  suddenly  very  serious  indeed. 

"  Listen,"  he  said,  "  I  can  prove  to  you,  if  you  will, 
that  it  is  not  bluff.  I  can  prove  to  you  that  I  really 
know  something  of  what  I  am  talking  about." 

"  There  is  nothing  I  should  like  better,"  she 
declared. 

"  To  begin  with  then,"  Lutchester  said,  "  the 
pocketbook  which  Nikasti  is  supposed  to  have  stolen 
from  your  room,  the  pocketbook  of  young  Sandy 
Graham,  which  Mr.  Fischer  has  sent  to  Germany, 
does  not  contain  the  formula  of  the  new  explosive,  or 
any  other  formula  that  amounts  to  anything." 

"  Just  how  do  you  know  that?  "  she  demanded. 

"  To  continue,"  Lutchester  said,  playing  with  a 
little  ornament  upon  the  mantelpiece,  "  you  have  an 
appointment  —  within  half  an  hour,  I  believe  —  with 
Mr.  Paul  Haskall,  who  is  a  specialist  in  explosives, 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  239 

having  an  official  position  with  the  American 
Government." 

She  had  ceased  to  struggle  any  longer  with  her 
surprise.  She  looked  at  him  fixedly  but  remained 
silent. 

"  It  is  your  belief,"  he  proceeded,  "  that  you  are 
going  to  hand  over  to  him  the  formula  of  which  we 
were  speaking." 

"  It  is  no  belief,"  she  replied.  "  It  is  certainty. 
I  took  it  myself  from  Graham's  pocket." 

Lutchester  nodded. 

"  Good !     Have  you  opened  it?  " 

"  I  have,"  she  declared.  "  It  is  without  doubt,  the 
formula." 

"  On  the  other  hand,  I  am  here  to  assure  you  that 
it  is  not,"  Lutchester  replied. 

Her  hand  was  tearing  at  the  cushion  by  her  side. 
She  moistened  her  lips.  There  was  something  about 
Lutchester  hatefully  convincing. 

"  What  do  you  mean?  "  she  demanded.  "  Is  this 
a  trick.  You  won't  get  it !  No  one  but  Mr. 
Haskall  will  get  that  formula  from  me !  " 

Lutchester  smiled. 

"  It  will  only  puzzle  him  when  he  gets  it !  To  tell 
you  the  truth,  the  formula  is  rubbish." 

"  I  don't  believe  you,"  she  said  firmly.  *'  If  you 
think  you  are  going  to  interfere  with  my  handing  it 
over  to  him,  you  are  mistaken." 

"  I  have  no  wish  to  do  anything  of  the  sort,"  Lut- 
chester assured  her.  "  Make  a  bargain  with  me. 
Mr.  Haskall  will  be  here  soon.  Unfasten  the  little 
package  you  are  carrying  somewhere  about  your 


24o  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

person,  hand  him  the  envelope  and  watch  his  face. 
If  he  tells  you  that  what  you  have  offered  him  is  a 
coherent  and  possible  formula  for  an  explosive,  then 
you  can  look  upon  me  for  ever  afterwards  as  the 
poor,  foolish  person  you  sometimes  seem  to  consider 
me.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  he  tells  you  that  it  is 
rubbish,  I  shall  expect  you  at  the  Ritz-Carlton  at 
half-past  eight." 

There  was  a  ring  at  the  bell.      She  rose  to  her  feet. 

"  I  accept,"  she  declared.  "  That  is  Mr.  Haskall. 
And,  by  the  bye,  Mr.  Lutchester,  don't  order  too 
elaborate  a  dinner,  for  I  am  very  much  afraid  you 
will  have  to  eat  it  all  yourself.  Now,  au  revoir," 
she  added,  as  the  door  was  opened  in  obedience  to 
her  summons  and  a  servant  stood  prepared  to  show 
him  out.  "  If  we  don't  turn  up  to-night,  you  will 
know  the  reason." 

"  I  am  very  hopeful,"  Lutchester  replied,  as  he 
turned  away. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

At  five-and-twenty  minutes  past  eight  that  evening 
Lutchester,  who  was  waiting  in  the  entrance  hall  of 
the  Ritz-Carlton,  became  just  a  little  restless.  At 
half-past,  his  absorption  in  an  evening  paper;  over 
the  top  of  which  he  looked  at  every  newcomer,  was 
almost  farcical.  At  five-and-twenty  to  nine  Pamela 
arrived.  He  advanced  down  the  lounge  to  meet  her. 
Her  face  was  inscrutable,  her  smile  conventional. 
Yet  she  had  come !  He  looked  over  his  shoulder  to- 
wards the  men's  coat  room. 

"Your  brother?" 

"  I  sent  Jim  to  his  club,"  she  said.  "  I  want  to 
have  a  confidential  talk  with  you,  Mr.  Lutchester." 

"  I  am  very  flattered,"  he  told  her,  with  real  ear- 
nestness. 

She  vanished  for  a  few  moments  in  the  cloakroom, 
and  reappeared,  a  radiant  vision  in  deep  blue  silk. 
Her  hair  was  gathered  in  a  coil  at  the  top  of  her 
head,  and  surmounted  with  an  ornament  of  pearls. 

"  You  are  looking  at  my  headdress,"  she  remarked, 
as  they  walked  into  the  room.  "  It  is  the  style  you 
admire,  is  it  not  ?  " 

He  murmured  something  vague,  but  he  knew  that 
he  was  forgiven.  They  were  ushered  to  their  places 
by  a  portly  maitre  d'hotel,  and  she  approved  of  his 


242  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

table.  It  was  set  almost  in  an  alcove,  and  was  par- 
tially hidden  from  the  other  diners. 

"  Is  this  seclusion  vanity  or  flattery  ?  " 

"  As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  is  rather  a  popular  table," 
he  told  her.  "  We  have  an  excellent  view  of  the 
room,  and  yet  one  can  talk  here  without  being  dis- 
turbed." 

"  To  talk  to  you  is  exactly  what  I  wish  to  do,"  she 
said,  as  they  took  their  places.  "  We  commence,  if 
you  please,  with  a  question.  Mr.  Fischer  thought 
that  he  had  that  formula  and  he  hasn't.  I  could 
have  sworn  that  it  was  in  my  possession  —  and  it 
isn't.  Where  is  it?" 

"  I  took  it  to  the  War  Office  before  I  left  Eng- 
land," he  told  her  simply.  "  They  will  have  the  first 
few  tons  of  the  stuff  ready  next  month." 

"  You !  "  she  cried.     "  But  where  did  you  get  it  ?  " 

"  I  happened  to  be  first,  that's  all,"  he  explained. 
"You  see,  I  had  the  advantage  of  a  little  inside  in- 
formation. I  could  have  exposed  the  whole  affair  if 
I  had  thought  it  wise.  I  preferred,  however,  to  let 
matters  take  their  course.  Young  Graham  deserved 
all  he  got  there,  and  I  made  sure  of  being  the  first  to 
go  through  his  papers.  I'm  afraid  I  must  confess 
that  I  left  a  bogus  formula  for  you." 

"  I  had  begun  to  suspect  this,"  Pamela  confessed. 
"  You  don't  mind  being  put  into  the  witness  box,  do 
you?  "  she  added,  as  she  pushed  aside  the  menu  with 
a  little  sigh  of  satisfaction.  "  How  wonderfully  you 
order  an  American  dinner !  " 

"  I  am  so  glad  I  have  chosen  what  you  like,"  he 
said,  "  and  as  to  being  in  the  witness  box  —  well,  I 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  243 

am  going  to  place  myself  in  the  confessional,  and 
that  is  very  much  the  same  thing,  isn't  it?  " 

"  To  begin  at  the  beginning,  then  —  about  that 
destroyer?  " 

"  My  mission  over  here  was  really  important,"  he 
admitted.  "  I  couldn't  catch  the  Lapland,  so  the 
Admiralty  sent  me  over." 

"And  your  golf  with  Senator  Hamblin?  It 
wasn't  altogether  by  accident  you  met  him  down  at 
Baltusrol,  was  it?  " 

"  It  was  not,"  he  confessed.  "  I  had  reason  to  sus- 
pect that  certain  proposals  from  Berlin  were  to  be 
put  forward  to  the  President  either  through  his  or 
Senator  Hastings'  mediation.  There  were  certain 
facts  in  connection  with  them,  which  I  desired  to  be 
the  first  to  lay  before  the  authorities." 

She  looked  around  the  room  and  recognised  some 
of  her  friends.  For  some  reason  or  other  she  felt 
remarkably  light-hearted. 

"  For  a  poor  vanquished  woman,"  she  observed, 
turning  back  to  Lutchester,  "  I  feel  extraordinarily 
gay  to-night.  Tell  me  some  more." 

He  bowed. 

"  Mademoiselle  Sonia,"  he  proceeded,  "  has  been  a 
friend  of  mine  since  she  sang  in  the  cafes  of  Buda 
Pesth.  I  dined  with  her,  however,  because  it  had 
come  to  my  knowledge  that  she  was  behaving  in  a 
very  foolish  manner." 

Pamela  nodded  understandingly. 

"  She  was  the  friend  of  Count  Maurice  Ziduski, 
wasn't  she?  " 

"  She   is   no  longer,"  Lutchester  replied,     "  She 


244  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

sailed  for  France  this  morning  without  seeing  him. 
She  has  remembered  that  she  is  a  Frenchwoman." 

"  It  was  you  who  reminded  her !  " 

"  Love  so  easily  makes  people  forgetful,"  he  said, 
"  and  I  think  that  Sonia  was  very  fond  of  Maurice 
Ziduski.  She  is  a  thoughtless,  passionate  woman, 
easily  swayed  through  her  affections,  and  she  had  no 
idea  of  the  evil  she  was  doing." 

"  So  that  disposes  of  Sonia,"  Pamela  reflected. 

"  Sonia  was  only  an  interlude,"  Lutchester  de- 
clared. "  She  really  doesn't  come  into  this  affair  at 
all.  The  one  person  who  does  come  into  it,  whom 
you  and  I  must  speak  of,  is  Fischer." 

"  A  most  interesting  man,"  Pamela  sighed.  "  I 
really  think  his  wife  would  have  a  most  exciting  life." 

"  She  would !  "  Lutchester  agreed.  "  She'd  prob- 
ably be  allowed  to  visit  him  once  every  fourteen  days 
in  care  of  a  warder." 

"  Spite !  "  Pamela  exclaimed,  with  a  suspicious  lit- 
tle quiver  at  the  corner  of  her  lips. 

Lutchester  shook  his  head. 

"  Fischer  is  too  near  the  end  of  his  rope  for  me  to 
feel  spiteful,"  he  said,  "  though  I  am  quite  prepared 
to  grant  that  he  may  be  capable  of  considerable 
mischief  yet.  A  man  who  has  the  sublime  effrontery 
to  attempt  to  come  to  an  agreement  with  two  coun- 
tries, each  behind  the  other's  back,  is  a  little  more 
than  Machiavellian,  isn't  he?  " 

"  Is  that  true  of  Mr.  Fischer?  " 

"  Absolutely,"  Lutchester  assured  her.  "  He  is 
over  here  for  the  purpose  of  somehow  or  other  mak- 
ing it  known  informally  in  Washington  that  Ger- 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  245 

many  would  be  willing  to  pledge  herself  to  an  alliance 
with  America  against  Japan,  after  the  war,  if  Amer- 
ica will  alter  her  views  as  to  the  export  of  muni- 
tions to  the  Allies." 

"  Well,  that's  a  reasonable  proposition,  isn't  it, 
from  his  point  of  view?  "  Pamela  remarked.  "  It 
may  not  be  a  very  agreeable  one  from  yours,  but  it 
is  certainly  one  which  he  has  a  right  to  make." 

"  Entirely,"  Lutchester  agreed,  "  but  where  he 
goes  wrong  is  that  his  primary  object  in  coming  here 
was  to  meet  the  chief  of  the  Japanese  Secret  Service, 
to  whom  he  has  made  a  proposition  of  precisely 
similar  character." 

Pamela  set  down  her  glass. 

"  You  are  not  in  earnest !  " 

"  Absolutely." 

"Nikasti?" 

"  Precisely !  He  came  all  the  way  from  Japan  to 
confer  with  Fischer.  Probably,  if  we  knew  the 
whole  truth,  those  rooms  at  the  Plaza  Hotel,  and 
the  social  partnership  of  your  brother  and  Fischer, 
were  arranged  for  no  other  reason  than  to  provide  a 
safe  personality  for  Nikasti  in  this  country,  and  a 
safe  place  for  him  to  talk  things  over  with  Fischer." 

"  Mr.  Fischer  was  paying  nearly  the  whole  of  the 
expenses  of  the  Plaza  suite,"  Pamela  observed 
thoughtfully. 

"  Naturally,"  Lutchester  replied.  "  Your  broth- 
er's name  was  a  good,  safe  name  to  get  behind.  But 
to  conclude  with  our  friend  Nikasti.  He  is  supposed 
to  leave  New  York  next  Saturday,  and  to  carry  to 
the  Emperor  of  Japan  an  autograph  letter  from  a 


246  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

nameless  person,  promising  him,  if  Japan  will  cease 
the  export  of  munitions  to  Russia,  the  aid  of  Ger- 
many in  her  impending  campaign  against  Amer- 
ica." 

"  An  autograph  letter,  did  you  say  ?  "  Pamela  al- 
most gasped. 

"  An  autograph  letter,"  Lutchester  repeated 
firmly.  "  Now  don't  you  agree  with  me  that  Fisch- 
er's game  is  just  a  little  too  daring?  " 

"  It  is  preposterous  !  "  she  cried. 

"  I  have  a  theory,"  Lutchester  continued,  "  that 
Fischer  was  never  intended  to  use  more  than  one  of 
these  letters.  It  was  intended  that  he  should  study 
the  situation  here,  approach  one  side,  and,  if  unsuc- 
cessful, try  the  other.  Fischer,  however,  conceived 
a  more  magnificent  idea.  He  seems  to  be  trying  both 
at  the  same  time.  It  is  the  sublime  egotism  of  the 
Teutonic  mind." 

"  It  is  monstrous !  "  Pamela  exclaimed  indignantly. 

"  It  is  almost  as  monstrous,"  Lutchester  agreed, 
"  as  his  daring  to  raise  his  eyes  to  you,  although, 
so  far  as  you  are  concerned,  I  believe  that  he  is  as 
honest  as  the  man  knows  how  to  be." 

"  And  why,"  she  asked,  "  do  you  credit  him  with 
so  much  good  faith?  " 

"  Because,"  Lutchester  replied,  "  if  he  had  not 
been  actuated  by  personal  motives,  he  would  never 
have  sought  you  out  as  an  intermediary.  There  are 
other  sources  open  to  him,  by  means  of  which  he  could 
make  equally  sure  of  reaching  the  President's  ear. 
His  idea  was  to  impress  you.  It  was  foolish  but 
natural." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  147 

Pamela  was  deep  in  thought.  There  was  an  angry 
spot  of  colour  burning  in  her  cheek. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  tell  me,  Mr.  Lutchester,"  she 
persisted,  "  that  this  afternoon,  say,  when  with 
every  appearance  of  earnestness  he  was  begging  me 
to  put  these  propositions  before  my  uncle,  he 
had  really  made  precisely  similar  overtures  to 
Japan?  " 

"  I  give  you  my  word  that  this  is  the  truth,"  Lut- 
chester assured  her  solemnly. 

She  looked  at  him  with  something  almost  like  won- 
der in  her  eyes. 

"  But  you?  "  she  exclaimed.  "  How  do  you  know 
this  ?  How  can  you  be  sure  of  it  ?  " 

"  I  have  seen  the  autograph  letter  which  Nikasti 
has  in  his  possession,"  he  announced. 

"  You  mean  that  Mr.  Fischer  showed  it  to  you?  " 
she  exclaimed  incredulously. 

Lutchester  hesitated. 

"  There  are  methods,"  he  said,  "  which  those  who 
fight  in  the  dark  places  for  their  country  are  forced 
sometimes  to  make  use  of.  I  have  seen  the  letter.  I 
have  half  convinced  those  who  represent  Japan  in 
this  matter  of  Fischer's  duplicity.  With  your  help  I 
am  hoping  wholly  to  do  so." 

Pamela  leaned  for  a  moment  back  in  her  chair. 

"  Really,"  she  declared,  "  I  am  beginning  to  have 
the  feeling  that  I  am  living  almost  too  rapidly.  Let 
us  have  a  breathing  spell.  I  wonder  what  all  these 
other  people  are  talking  about." 

"  Probably,"  he  suggested,  with  a  little  glance 
around,  "  about  themselves.  We  will  follow  their 


348  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

example.  Will  you  marry  me,  please,  Miss  Van 
Teyl?" 

"  We  haven't  even  come  to  the  ice  yet,"  she  sighed, 
"  and  you  pass  from  high  politics  to  flagrant  person- 
alities. Are  you  a  sensationalist,  Mr.  Lutches- 
ter?" 

"  Not  in  the  least,"  he  protested.  "  I  simply  asked 
you  an  extremely  important  question  quite  calmly." 

"  It  isn't  a  question  that  should  be  asked  calmly," 
she  objected. 

"  I  have  immense  self-control,"  he  told  her,  "  but 
if  you'd  like  me  to  abandon  it  — " 

"  For  heaven's  sake,  no !  "  she  interrupted.  "  Tell 
me  more  about  Mr.  Fischer." 

"  You  won't  forget  to  answer  my  little  question 
later  on,  will  you?  "  he  begged.  "  To  proceed,  then. 
I  spent  some  little  time  this  afternoon  with  your 
chief  of  the  police  here,  and  I  fancy  that  the  person 
you  speak  of  is  becoming  a  little  too  blatant  even  for 
a  broad-minded  country  like  this.  He  belongs  to  an 
informal  company  of  wealthy  sympathisers  with  Ger- 
many, who  propose  to  start  a  campaign  of  destruc- 
tion at  all  the  factories  manufacturing  munitions  for 
the  Allies.  They  have  put  aside  —  I  believe  it  is 
several  million  dollars,  for  purposes  of  bribery. 
They  don't  seem  to  realise,  as  my  friend  pointed  out 
to  me  this  afternoon,  that  the  days  for  this  sort  of 
thing  in  New  York  have  passed.  Some  of  them  will 
be  in  prison  before  they  know  where  they  are." 

"Exactly  why  did  you  come  to  America?"  she 
asked,  a  little  abruptly. 

"  To  meet  Nikasti  and  to  look  after  Fischer.*' 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  249 

"  Well,  you  seem  to  have  done  that  pretty  effectu- 
ally!" 

"  Also,"  he  went  on  calmly,  "  to  keep  an  eye  upon 
you." 

"Professionally?" 

"  You  ask  me  to  give  away  too  many  secrets,"  he 
whispered,  leaning  towards  her. 

She  made  a  little  grimace. 

"  Tell  me  some  more  about  your  little  adventure  in 
Fifth  Avenue?  "  she  begged. 

He  smiled  grimly. 

"  You  wouldn't  believe  me,"  he  reminded  her,  "  but 
it  really  was  one  of  Fischer's  little  jokes.  It  very 
nearly  came  off,  too.  As  a  matter  of  fact,"  he  went 
on,  "  Fischer  isn't  really  clever.  He  is  too  obstinate, 
too  convinced  in  his  own  mind  that  things  must  go 
the  way  he  wants  them  to,  that  Fate  is  the  servant 
of  his  will.  It's  a  sort  of  national  trait,  you  know, 
very  much  like  the  way  we  English  bury  our  heads 
in  the  sand  when  we  hear  unpleasant  truths.  The 
last  thing  Fischer  wants  is  advertisement,  and  yet 
he  goes  to  some  of  his  Fourteenth  Street  friends  and 
unearths  a  popular  desperado  to  get  rid  of  me.  The 
fellow  happens  most  unexpectedly  to  fail,  and  now 
Fischer  has  to  face  a  good  many  awkward  questions 
and  a  good  deal  of  notoriety.  No,  I  don't  think 
Fischer  is  really  clever." 

Pamela  sighed. 

"  In  that  case,  I  suppose  I  shall  have  to  say  *  No  ' 
to  him,"  she  decided.  "  After  waiting  all  this  time, 
I  couldn't  bear  to  be  married  to  a  fool." 

"  You  won't  be,"  he  assured  her  cheerfully. 


250  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  More  British  arrogance,"  she  murmured.  "  Now 
see  what's  going  to  happen  to  us !  " 

A  tall,  elderly  man,  with  smooth  white  hair  plas- 
tered over  his  forehead,  very  precisely  dressed,  and 
with  a  gait  so  careful  as  to  be  almost  mincing,  was 
approaching  their  table.  Pamela  held  out  her 
hands. 

"  My  dear  uncle ! "  she  exclaimed.  "  And  I 
thought  that  you  and  aunt  never  dined  at  restau- 
rants ! " 

Mr.  Hastings  stood  with  his  fingers  resting  lightly 
upon  the  table.  He  glanced  at  Luchester  without 
apparent  recognition. 

"You  remember  Mr.  Lutchester?"  Pamela  mur- 
mured. 

Mr.  Hastings'  manner  lacked  the  true  American 
cordiality,  but  he  hastened  to  extend  his  hand. 

"  Of  course !  "  he  declared.  "  I  was  not  fortunate 
enough,  however,  to  see  much  of  you  the  other  eve- 
ning, Mr.  Lutchester.  We  have  several  mutual 
friends  whom  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  about." 

"  I  shall  pay  my  respects  to  Mrs.  Hastings,  if  I 
may,  very  shortly,"  Lutchester  promised. 

"Are  you  with  friends  here,  uncle?"  Pamela  in- 
quired. 

"  We  are  the  guests  of  Mr.  Oscar  Fischer,"  the 
Senator  announced. 

Pamela  raised  her  eyebrows. 

"  So  you  know  Mr.  Fischer,  uncle?  " 

"  Naturally,"  Mr.  Hastings  replied,  with  some 
dignity.  "  Oscar  Fischer  is  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant men  in  the  State  which  I  represent.  He  is  a 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  251 

man  of  great  wealth  and  industry  and  immense  in- 
fluence." 

Pamela  made  a  little  grimace.  Her  uncle  noticed 
it  and  frowned. 

"  He  has  just  been  telling  us  of  his  voyage  with 
you,  Pamela.  Perhaps,  if  Mr.  Lutchester  can  spare 
you,"  he  went  on,  with  a  little  bow  across  the  table, 
"  you  will  come  and  take  your  coffee  with  us.  Your 
aunt  is  leaving  for  Washington,  probably  to-morrow, 
and  wishes  to  arrange  for  you  to  travel  with  her. 
Mr.  Lutchester  may  also,  perhaps,  give  us  the  pleas- 
ure of  his  company  for  a  few  minutes,"  he  added, 
after  a  slight  but  obvious  pause. 

"  Thank  you,"  Pamela  answered  quickly,  "  I  am 
Mr.  Lutchester's  guest  this  evening.  If  you  are  still 
here,  I  shall  love  to  come  and  speak  to  aunt  for  a 
moment  later  on.  If  not,  I  will  ring  up  to-morrow 
morning." 

The  bland,  almost  episcopal  serenity  of  Senator 
Hastings'  face  was  somewhat  disturbed.  It  was  ob- 
vious that  the  situation  displeased  him. 

"  I  think,  Pamela,"  he  said,  "  that  you  had  better 
come  and  speak  to  your  aunt  before  you  leave." 

His  bow  to  Lutchester  was  the  bow  of  a  poli- 
tician to  an  adversary.  He  made  his  way  back  in 
leisurely  fashion  to  the  table  from  which  he  had 
come,  exchanging  a  few  words  with  many  acquaint- 
ances. Pamela  watched  him  with  a  twinkle  in  her 
eyes. 

"  I  am  becoming  so  unpopular,"  she  murmured. 
"  I  can  read  in  my  uncle's  tone  that  my  aunt  and  he 
disapprove  of  our  dining  together  here.  And  as  for 


353  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Mr.  Fischer,  I'm  afraid  he'll  break  off  our  prospec- 
tive alliance." 

Lutchester  smiled. 

"  Prospective  is  the  only  word  to  use,"  he  ob- 
served. "  By  the  bye,  are  you  particularly  fond  of 
your  uncle  ?  " 

"  Not  riotously,"  she  admitted.  "  He  has  been 
kind  to  me  once  or  twice,  but  he's  rather  a  starchy 
old  person." 

"  In  that  case,"  Lutchester  decided,  "  we  won't  in- 
terfere." 


Fischer  had  by  no  means  the  appearance  of  a 
discomfited  man  that  evening,  when  some  time  later 
Pamela  and  Lutchester  approached  the  little  group 
of  which  he  seemed,  somehow,  to  have  become  the 
central  figure.  It  was  a  small  party,  but,  in  its  way, 
a  distinguished  one.  Pamela's  aunt  was  a  member 
of  an  historic  American  family,  and  a  woman  of 
great  social  position,  not  only  in  New  York  but  in 
Washington  itself.  Of  the  remaining  guests,  one 
was  a  financial  magnate  of  world-wide  fame,  and  the 
other,  Senator  Joyce,  a  politician  of  such  eminence 
that  his  name  was  freely  mentioned  as  a  possible 
future  president.  Mrs.  Hastings  greeted  Pamela 
and  her  escort  without  enthusiasm. 

"  My  dear  child,"  she  exclaimed,  "  how  extraordi- 
nary to  find  you  here !  " 

"Is  it?"  Pamela  observed  indifferently.  "You 
know  Mr.  Lutchester,  don't  you,  aunt  ?  " 

Mrs.  Hastings  remembered  her  late  dinner  guest, 
but  her  recognition  was  icy  and  barely  polite.  She 
turned  away  at  once  and  resumed  her  conversation 
with  Fischer.  Lutchester  was  not  introduced  to 
either  of  the  other  members  of  the  party.  He  laid 
his  hand  on  the  back  of  an  empty  chair  and  turned 
it  round  for  Pamela,  but  she  stopped  him  with  a 


254  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

word  of  thanks.  Something  had  gone  from  her  own 
naturally  pleasant  tone.  She  held  her  hand  higher, 
even,  than  her  aunt's,  as  she  turned  a  little  insistently 
towards  her. 

"  So  sorry,  aunt,"  she  announced,  "  but  we  are  go- 
ing now.  Good  night !  " 

Mrs.  Hastings  disapproved. 

"  We  have  seen  nothing  of  you  yet,  Pamela,"  she 
said  stiffly.  "  You  had  better  stay  with  us  and  we 
will  drop  you  on  our  way  home." 

Pamela  shook  her  head. 

"  I  am  coming  with  you  to-morrow,  you  know," 
she  reminded  her  aunt.  "  To-night  I  am  Mr.  Lut- 
chester's  guest  and  he  will  see  me  home." 

Mrs.  Hastings  drew  her  niece  a  little  closer  to  her. 

"  Is  this  part  of  your  European  manners, 
Pamela?  "  she  whispered,  "  that  you  dine  alone  in  a 
resturant  with  an  acquaintance?  Let  me  tell  you 
frankly  that  I  dislike  the  idea  most  heartily.  My 
chaperonage  is  always  at  your  service,  and  any  girl 
of  your  age  in  America  would  be  delighted  to  avail 
herself  of  it." 

"  It  is  very  kind  of  you,  aunt,"  Pamela  replied, 
"  but  in  a  general  way  I  finished  with  chaperons  long 
ago." 

"Where  is  Jimmy?"  Mrs.  Hastings  inquired. 

"  He  was  coming  with  us  to-night,"  Pamela  ex- 
plained, "  but  I  asked  him  particularly  to  stay  away. 
I  have  seen  so  little  of  Mr.  Lutchester  since  he  ar- 
rived, and  I  want  to  talk  to  him." 

The  financial  magnate  awoke  from  a  comatose  in- 
ertia and  suddenly  gripped  Lutchester  by  the  hand. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  255 

"  Lutchester,"  he  repeated  to  himself.  "  I 
thought  I  knew  your  face.  Stayed  with  your  uncle 
down  at  Monte  Carlo  once.  You  came  there  for  a 
week." 

Lutchester  acknowledged  his  recollection  of  the 
fact  and  the  two  men  exchanged  a  few  common- 
place remarks.  Mrs.  Hastings  took  the  opportunity 
to  try  and  induce  Pamela  to  converse  with  Fischer. 

"  We  have  all  been  so  interested  to-night,"  she 
said,  "  in  hearing  what  Mr.  Fischer  has  to  say  about 
the  situation  on  the  other  side." 

Pamela  was  primed  for  combat. 

"  Has  Mr.  Fischer  been  telling  you  fairy  tales?  " 
she  laughed. 

"  Fairy  tales  ?  "  her  aunt  repeated  severely.  "  I 
don't  understand." 

Fischer's  steel  grey  eyes  flashed  behind  his  spec- 
tacles. 

"  I'm  afraid  that  Miss  Van  Teyl's  prejudices,"  he 
observed  bitterly,  "  are  very  firmly  fixed." 

"  Then  she  is  no  true  American,"  Mrs.  Hastings 
pronounced  didactically. 

"  Oh,  I  can  assure  you  that  I  am  not  prejudiced," 
Pamela  declared,  "  only,  you  see,  I,  too,  have  just 
arrived  from  the  other  side,  and  I  have  been  able  to 
use  my  own  eyes  and  judgment.  If  there  is  any 
prejudice  in  the  matter,  why  should  it  not  come 
from  Mr.  Fischer?  He  has  the  very  good  excuse  of 
his  German  birth." 

"  Mr.  Fischer  is  an  American  citizen,"  Mrs. 
Hastings  reminded  her  niece,  "  and  personally,  I 
think  that  the  American  of  German  birth  is  one  of 


356  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

the  most  loyal  and  long-suffering  persons  I  know. 
I  cannot  say  as  much  for  the  English  people  who  are 
living  over  here.  And  as  to  fairy  stories  — " 

Pamela  intervened,  turning  towards  Fischer  with 
a  little  laugh. 

"  Oh,  he  can't  even  deny  those !  What  about  the 
great  German  victory  in  the  North  Sea,  Mr. 
Fischer?  Do  you  happen  to  have  seen  the  latest 
telegrams  ?  " 

"  Our  first  reports  were  perhaps  a  little  too  glow- 
ing," Mr.  Fischer  acknowledged.  "  That,  under  the 
circumstances,  is,  I  think,  only  natural.  But  the 
facts  remain  that  the  invincible  English  and  the  un- 
tried German  fleets  have  met,  to  the  advantage  of 
the  German." 

Pamela  shook  her  head. 

"  I  cannot  even  allow  that,"  she  objected.  "  The 
advantage,  if  there  was  any,  rested  on  the  other 
side.  But  I  just  want  you  to  remember  what  we 
were  told  in  that  first  wonderful  outpouring  of  fabri- 
cated news  —  that  the  naval  supremacy  of  England 
was  gone  for  ever,  that  the  freedom  of  the  seas  was 
assured,  that  German  merchant  vessels  were  steam- 
ing home  from  all  directions !  No,  Mr.  Fischer ! 
Between  ourselves,  I  think  that  your  cause  needs  a 
few  fairy  stories,  and  I  look  upon  you  as  one  of  the 
greatest  experts  in  the  world  when  it  comes  to  con- 
cocting them." 

Fischer,  who  had  risen  to  his  feet  half  way  through 
Pamela's  speech,  was  obviously  a  little  taken  aback 
by  her  direct  attack.  Mrs.  Hastings  took  no  pains 
to  conceal  her  annoyance. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  For  a  young  girl  of  your  age,  Pamela,"  she  said 
sternly,  "  I  consider  that  you  express  your  opinions 
far  too  freely.  Your  attitude,  too,  is  unjustifiable." 

"  Ah,  well,  you  see,  I  am  a  little  prejudiced  against 
Mr.  Fischer,"  Pamela  laughed,  turning  towards  him. 
"  He  happened  to  defeat  one  of  my  pet  schemes." 

"  But  I  am  ready  to  further  your  dearest  one,"  he 
reminded  her,  dropping  his  voice,  and  leading  her 
a  little  on  one  side.  "  What  about  our  alliance?  " 

"  You  scarcely  need  my  aid,"  she  observed,  with  a 
shrug  of  the  shoulders. 

He  remonstrated  vigorously.  There  was  a  revived 
hopefulness  in  his  tone.  Perhaps,  after  all,  here 
was  the  secret  of  her  displeasure  with  him. 

"  You  wonder,  perhaps,  to  see  me  with  your  uncle. 
I  give  you  my  word  that  it  is  a  dinner  of  courtesy 
only.  I  give  you  my  word  that  I  have  not  opened 
my  lips  on  political  matters.  I  have  been  waiting 
for  your  answer." 

"  I  have  lost  faith  in  you,"  she  told  him  calmly. 
"  I  am  not  even  certain  that  you  possess  the  author- 
ity you  spoke  of." 

"  If  that  is  all,"  he  replied  eagerly,  "  you  shall  see 
it  with  your  own  eyes.  You  are  staying  with  your 
uncle  and  aunt  in  Washington,  are  you  not?  I 
shall  call  upon  you  immediately  I  arrive,  and  bring 
it  with  me." 

She  nodded. 

"  Well,  that  remains  a  challenge,  then,  Mr. 
Fischer.  And  now,  if  you  are  quite  ready,"  she 
added,  turning  to  Lutchester.  ..."  Good-by, 
everybody ! " 


as8  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  Aren't  your  cars  burning?  "  Pamela  asked,  after 
Lutchester  had  handed  her  into  a  taxicab  and  taken 
his  place  by  her  side.  "  I  can  absolutely  feel  them 
talking  about  us." 

"  I  seem  to  be  most  regrettably  unpopular,"  Lut- 
chester remarked. 

"  Even  now  I  am  puzzled  about  that,"  Pamela  con- 
fessed, "  but  you  see  my  aunt  considers  herself  the 
arbitress  of  what  is  right  or  wrong  in  social  matters, 
and  she  is  exceedingly  narrow-minded.  In  her  eyes 
it  is  no  doubt  a  greater  misdemeanour  for  me  to 
have  dined  at  the  Ritz-Carlton  alone  with  you,  than 
if  I  had  conspired  against  the  Government." 

**  And  this,  I  thought,  was  the  land  of  freedom  for 
your  sex ! " 

"Ah,  but  my  aunt  is  rather  an  exception," 
Pamela  reminded  him.  "  The  one  thing  I  cannot  un- 
derstand, however,  is  that  she  should  have  allowed 
herself  to  be  seen  dining  with  Mr.  Oscar  Fischer  at 
the  Ritz-Carlton.  I  should  have  thought  that  would 
have  been  almost  as  heinous  to  her  as  my  own  little 
slip  from  grace." 

"  Is  your  aunt  by  way  of  being  interested  in 
politics  ?  "  Lutchester  inquired. 

"  Not  in  a  general  way,"  Pamela  replied,  "  but  she 
is  intensely  ambitious,  and  she'd  give  her  soul  if 
Uncle  Theodore  could  get  a  nomination  for  the 
Presidency." 

"  Perhaps  she  is  taking  up  the  German- American 
cause,  then,"  Lutchester  suggested.  "  It  is  a  pos- 
sible platform,  at  any  rate." 

"  I    foresee    a    new    party,"    Pamela    murmured 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  359 

thoughtfully.  "  Now  I  come  to  think  of  it,  Mr. 
Elsworthy,  the  fat  old  gentleman  who  knew  your 
uncle,  is  very  pro-German." 

He  leaned  towards  her. 

"  We  have  had  enough  politics,"  he  insisted. 
"  There  is  the  other  thing.  Couldn't  I  have  my  an- 
swer? " 

She  let  him  take  her  fingers.  In  the  cool  darkness 
through  which  they  were  rushing  her  face  seemed 
white,  her  head  was  a  little  averted.  He  tried  to 
draw  her  to  him,  but  she  was  unyielding. 

"  Please  not,"  she  begged.  "  I  like  you  —  and  I'm 
glad  I  like  you,"  she  added,  "  but  I  don't  feel  cer- 
tain about  anything.  Couldn't  we  be  just  friends 
a  little  longer?" 

"  It  must  be  as  you  say,  but  I  am  horribly  in  love 
with  you,"  he  confessed.  "  That  may  sound  rather 
a  bald  way  of  saying  so,  but  it's  the  truth,  Pamela, 
dear." 

His  clasp  upon  her  fingers  was  tightened.  She 
turned  towards  him.  Her  expression  was  serious  but 
delightful. 

"  Well,  let  me  tell  you  this  much,  at  least,"  she 
confided.  "  I  have  never  before  in  my  life  been  so 
glad  to  hear  any  one  say  so.  ...  And  here  we  are 
at  home,  and  there's  Jimmy  on  the  doorstep.  What 
is  it,  Jimmy,"  she  asked,  waving  her  hand. 

He  came  down  towards  her  in  a  state  of  great  ex- 
citement. 

"  Say,  we've  had  to  open  up  the  office  again ! "  he 
exclaimed.  "  The  telegrams  are  rolling  in  now. 
That  so-called  German  naval  victory  was  a  fake. 


a6o  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

The  Britishers  came  out  right  on  top.  You  know 
you  stand  to  net  at  least  half  a  million,  Mr.  Lut- 
chester?  The  worst  of  it  is  I  have  another  client 
who's  going  to  lose  it." 

Pamela  shook  her  head  at  Lutchester. 

"  The  possibility  of  increased  responsibilities,"  he 
whispered.  "  A  married  man  needs  something  to 
fall  back  upon." 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

The  offices  of  Messrs.  Neville,  Brooks,  and  Van 
Teyl  were  the  scene  of  something  like  pandemonium. 
Van  Teyl  himself,  bathed  in  perspiration,  rushed 
into  his  room  for  the  twentieth  time.  He  almost 
flung  the  newspaper  man  who  was  waiting  for  him 
through  the  door. 

*  No,  we  don't  know  a  darned  thing,"  he  declared. 
"  We've  no  special  information.  The  only  reason 
we're  up  to  our  neck  in  Anglo-French  is  because 
we've  two  big  clients  dealing." 

"  It's  just  a  few  personal  notes  about  those  clients 
we'd  like  to  handle." 

"  Oh,  get  out  as  quick  as  you  can ! "  Van  Teyl 
snapped.  "  This  isn't  a  bucket  shop  or  a  pool  room. 
The  names  of  our  clients  concerns  ourselves  only." 

"  What  do  you  think  Anglo-French  are  going  to 
do,  Mr.  Van  Teyl?" 

"  I  can't  tell,"  was  the  prompt  answer,  "  but  I  can 
tell  what's  going  to  happen  if  you  don't  clear  out." 

The  newspaper  man  took  a  hurried  leave.  Van 
Teyl  seized  the  telephone  receiver,  only  to  put  it 
down  with  a  little  shout  of  relief  as  the  door  opened 
and  Lutchester  entered. 

"  Thank  God !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Why,  I've  been 
ringing  you  up  for  an  hour  and  a  half." 


262  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  Sorry,"  Lutchester  replied,  "  I  was  down  at  the 
barber's  the  first  time  you  got  through,  and  then  I 
had  some  cables  to  send  off." 

"  Look  here,"  Van  Teyl  continued,  gripping  him 
by  the  shoulder,  "  is  six  hundred  and  forty  thousand 
dollars,  or  thereabouts,  profit  enough  for  you  on 
your  Anglo-French?  " 

"  It  sounds  adequate,"  Lutchester  confessed,  lay- 
ing his  hat  and  cane  carefully  upon  the  table  and 
drawing  up  an  easy-chair.  "  How  much  is  Mr. 
Fischer  going  to  lose?  " 

"  God  knows !  If  you  allow  me  to  sell  at  the 
present  moment,  you'll  ease  the  market,  and  he'll  lose 
about  what  you  make." 

"  And  if  I  decide  to  hold  my  Anglo-French?  " 

"  You'll  have  to  provide  us  with  about  a  couple 
of  million  dollars,"  Van  Teyl  replied,  "  and  I  should 
think  you  would  pretty  well  break  Fischer  for  a  time. 
Frankly,  he's  an  important  client,  and  we  don't  want 
him  broken,  even  temporarily." 

"  What  do  you  want  me  to  do,  then  ?  " 

"  Give  us  authority  to  sell,"  Van  Teyl  begged. 
"  Can't  you  hear  them  yapping  about  in  the  office 
outside?  They're  round  me  all  the  time  like  a  pack 
of  hounds.  Honestly,  if  I  don't  sell  some  Anglo- 
French  before  lunch-time  to-day,  they  look  like 
wrecking  the  office." 

Lutchester  knocked  the  end  of  a  cigarette  thought- 
fully against  the  side  of  his  chair. 

"  All  right,"  he  decided,  "  I  don't  want  you  to 
suffer  any  inconvenience.  Besides,  I  am  going  to 
Washington  this  afternoon.  You  can  keep  on  sell- 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  263 

ing  as  long  as  the  market's  steady.  Directly  it 
sags,  hold  off.  If  necessary,  even  buy  a  few  more. 
You  understand  me?  Don't  sell  a  single  block  un- 
der to-day's  price.  Keep  the  market  at  that  figure. 
It's  an  easy  job,  because  next  week  Anglo-French 
will  go  up  again." 

Van  Teyl  was  moved  to  a  rare  flash  of  admira- 
tion. 

"  You're  a  cool  hand,  Lutchester,"  he  declared, 
"  considering  you're  not  a  business  man." 

"  Fischer's  the  man  who'll  need  to  keep  cool," 
Lutchester  remarked,  lighting  his  cigarette.  "  What 
about  a  little  lunch?  " 

The  stockbroker  scarcely  heard  him.  He  had 
struck  a  bell,  and  the  office  seemed  suddenly  filled 
with  clerks.  Van  Teyl's  words  were  incoherent  — 
a  string  of  strange  directions,  punctuated  by  slang 
which  was,  so  far  as  Lutchester  was  concerned,  un- 
intelligible. The  whole  place  seemed  to  wake  into  a 
clamour  of  telephone  bells,  shouts,  the  clanging  and 
opening  of  the  lift  gates,  and  the  hurried  tramp  of 
footsteps  in  the  corridors  outside.  Lutchester  rose 
to  his  feet.  He  was  looking  very  comfortable  and 
matter-of-fact  in  his  grey  tweed  suit  and  soft  felt 
hat. 

"  Perhaps,"  he  observed  pleasantly,  "  I  am  out  of 
place  here.  Drop  me  a  line  and  let  me  know  how 
things  are  going  to  the  Hotel  Capitol  at  Washing- 
ton." 

"  That's  all  right,"  Van  Teyl  promised.  "  I'll  get 
you  on  the  long-distance  'phone.  I  was  coming  my- 
self with  Pamela  for  a  few  days,  but  this  little  deal 


264  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

of  yours  has  set  things  buzzing.  .  .  .  Say,  who's 
that?  " 

The  door  opened,  and  Fischer  paused  upon  the 
threshold.  Certainly,  of  all  the  people  concerned, 
the  two  speculators  themselves  seemed  the  least 
moved  by  the  excitement  they  were  causing.  Fischer 
was  dressed  with  his  usual  spick-and-span  neatness, 
and  his  appearance  betrayed  no  sign  of  flurry  or 
excitement.  He  nodded  grimly  to  Lutchester. 

"  My  congratulations,"  he  said.  "  You  seem  to 
have  rigged  the  Press  here  to  some  purpose." 

Lutchester  raised  his  eyebrows. 

"  I  don't  even  know  a  newspaper  man  in  New 
York,"  he  declared. 

The  newcomer  gave  vent  to  a  little  gesture  of  de- 
rision. 

*'  Then  you've  some  very  clever  friends !  You'd 
better  make  the  most  of  their  offices.  The  German 
version  of  the  naval  battle  will  be  confirmed  and 
amplified  within  twenty-four  hours,  and  then  your 
Anglo-French  will  touch  mud." 

"  If  that  is  your  idea,"  Lutchester  remarked 
suavely,  "  why  buy  now  ?  Why  not  wait  till  next 
week  ?  Come,"  he  went  on,  "  I  will  have  a  little 
flutter  with  you,  if  you  like,  Fischer.  I  will  bet  you 
five  thousand  dollars,  and  Van  Teyl  here  shall  hold 
the  stakes,  that  a  week  hence  to-day  Anglo-French 
stand  higher  than  they  do  at  this  moment." 

Fischer  hesitated.     Then  he  turned  away. 

"  I  am  not  a  sportsman,  Mr.  Lutchester,"  he  said. 

Lutchester  brushed  away  a  little  dust  from  his 
coat  sleeve. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  265 

"  No,"  he  murmured,  "  I  agree  with  you.  Good 
morning ! " 

Lutchester  walked  out  into  the  sun-baked  streets, 
and  with  his  absence  Fischer  abandoned  his  almost 
unnatural  calm.  He  strode  up  and  down  the  room, 
fuming  with  rage.  At  every  fresh  click  of  the  tape 
machine,  he  snatched  at  the  printed  slip  eagerly  and 
threw  it  away  with  an  oath.  No  one  took  any  notice 
of  him.  Van  Teyl  rushed  in  and  out,  telephones 
clanged,  perspiring  clerks  dashed  in  with  copies  of 
contracts  to  add  to  the  small  pile  upon  the  desk. 
There  came  a  quiet  moment  presently.  Van  Teyl 
wiped  the  perspiration  from  his  forehead  and  drank 
a  tumblerful  of  water. 

"  Fischer,"  he  asked,  "  what  made  you  go  into  this 
so  big?  You  must  have  known  there  was  always 
the  risk  of  your  wireless  report  beating  it  up  a  little 
too  tall." 

"  It  wasn't  our  report  at  all  that  I  went  by," 
Fischer  confessed  gloomily.  "  It  was  the  English 
Admiralty  announcement  that  did  it.  Can  you  con- 
ceive," he  went  on,  striking  the  table  with  his  fist, 
"  any  nation  at  war,  with  a  grain  of  common  sense 
or  an  ounce  of  self-respect,  issuing  a  statement  like 
that  ?  —  an  apology  for  a  defeat  which,  damn  it  all, 
never  happened !  Say  the  thing  was  a  drawn  battle, 
which  is  about  what  it  really  was.  It  didn't  suit  the 
Germans  to  fight  it  to  a  finish.  They'd  everything 
to  lose  and  little  to  gain.  So  in  effect  they  left  the 
Britishers  there  and  passed  back  behind  their  own 
minefield.  So  far  as  regards  reports,  that  was  vic- 
tory enough  for  any  one  except  those  muddle-headed 


266  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

civilians  at  Whitehall.  They  deceived  the  world 
with  that  infernal  bulletin,  and  incidentally  me.  It 
was  on  that  statement  I  gave  you  my  orders,  not  on 
ours." 

"  It's  a  damned  unfortunate  business !  "  Van  Teyl 
sighed.  "  You're  only  half  way  out  yet,  and  it's 
cost  you  nearly  three  hundred  thousand." 

A  dull  spot  of  purple  colour  burned  in  Fischer's 
cheeks.  His  upper  lip  was  drawn  in,  his  appearance 
for  a  moment  was  repulsive. 

"  It  isn't  the  money  I  mind,"  he  muttered.  "  It's 
Lutchester." 

Van  Teyl  was  discreetly  silent.  Fischer  seemed 
to  read  his  thoughts.  He  leaned  across  the  table. 

"  A  wonderful  fellow,  your  friend  Lutchester,"  he 
sneered.  "  An  Admirable  Crjchton  of  finance  and 
diplomacy  and  love-making,  eh?  But  the  end  isn't 
just  yet.  I  promise  you  one  thing,  James  Van  Teyl. 
He  isn't  going  to  marry  your  sister." 

"  I'd  a  damned  sight  sooner  she  married  him  than 
you !  "  Van  Teyl  blazed  out. 

Fischer  was  taken  aback.  He  had  held  for  so 
long  the  upper  hand  with  this  young  man  that  for 
the  moment  he  had  forgotten  that  circumstances 
were  changed  between  them.  Van  Teyl  rose  to  his 
feet.  The  bonds  of  the  last  few  months  had  snapped. 
He  spoke  like  a  free  man. 

"  Look  here,  Fischer,"  he  said,  "  you've  had  me 
practically  in  your  power  for  the  best  part  of  a  year, 
but  now  I'm  through  with  you.  I'm  out  of  your 
debt,  no  thanks  to  you,  and  I'm  going  to  keep  out. 
I  am  working  on  your  business  as  hard  as  though 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  267 

you  were  my  own  brother,  and  I'll  go  on  doing  it. 
I'll  get  you  out  of  this  mess  as  well  as  I  can,  and 
after  that  you  can  take  your  damned  business  where 
you  please." 

"So  that's  it,  is  it?"  Fischer  scoffed.  "A  rich 
brother-in-law  coming  along,  eh?  .  .  .  No,  don't  do 
that,"  stepping  quickly  backwards  as  Van  Teyl's 
fist  shot  out. 

"  Then  keep  my  sister's  name  out  of  this  conver- 
sation," Van  Teyl  insisted.  "  If  you  are  wise,  you'll 
clear  out  altogether.  They're  at  it  again." 

Fischer,  however,  glanced  at  the  clock  and  re- 
mained. At  the  next  lull,  he  hung  down  the  tape 
and  turned  to  his  companion. 

"  Say,  there's  no  use  quarrelling,  James,"  he  de- 
clared. "  I'm  going  to  leave  you  to  it  now.  Guess 
I  said  a  little  more  than  I  meant  to,  but  I  tell  you 
I  hate  that  fellow  Lutchester.  I  hate  him  just  as 
though  I  were  the  typical  German  and  he  were  the 
typical  Britisher,  and  there  was  nothing  but  a  sea 
of  hate  between  us.  Shake  hands,  Jim." 

Van  Teyl  obeyed  without  enthusiasm.  Fischer 
drew  a  chair  to  the  table  and  wrote  out  a  cheque, 
which  he  passed  across. 

"  I'll  drop  into  the  bank  and  let  them  know  about 
this,"  he  said.  "  You  can  make  up  accounts  and  let 
me  hear  how  the  balance  stands.  I'll  wipe  it  out 
by  return,  whatever  it  is." 

Fischer  passed  out  of  the  offices  a  few  minutes 
later,  followed  by  many  curious  eyes,  and  stepped 
into  his  automobile.  A  young  man  who  had  brushed 
against  him  pushed  a  note  into  his  hand.  Fischer 


a68  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

opened    it    as    his    car    swung    slowlj    through    the 
traffic :  — 

Guards  at  all  Connecticut  factories  doubled.  O'Hagan 
caught  last  night  in  precincts  of  small  arms  factory. 
Was  taken  alive,  disobeying  orders.  Be  careful. 

Fischer  tore  the  note  into  small  pieces.  His  face 
was  grimmer  than  ever  as  he  leaned  back  amongst 
the  cushions.  There  were  evil  things  awaiting  him 
outside  Wall  Street. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

Lutchester  breathed  the  air  of  Washington  and 
felt  almost  homesick.  The  stateliness  of  the  city, 
its  sedate  and  quiescent  air  after  the  turmoil  of  New 
York,  impressed  him  profoundly.  Everywhere  its 
diplomatic  associations  made  themselves  felt.  Con- 
gress was  in  session,  and  the  faces  of  the  men  whom 
he  met  continually  in  the  hotels  and  restaurants 
seemed  to  him  some  index  of  the  world  power  which 
flung  its  far-reaching  arms  from  beneath  the  Capitol 
dome. 

One  afternoon  a  few  days  after  his  arrival  he 
called  at  the  Hastings'  house,  a  great  Colonial  man- 
sion within  a  stone's  throw  of  his  own  headquarters. 
The  mention  of  his  name,  however,  seemed  to  chill 
all  the  hospitality  out  of  the  smiling  face  of  the 
southern  butler  who  answered  his  ring.  Miss  Van 
Teyl  was  out,  and  from  the  man's  manner  it  was 
obvious  that  Miss  Van  Teyl  would  continue  to  be 
out  for  a  very  long  time.  Lutchester  retraced  his 
steps  to  the  British  Embassy,  where  he  had  spent 
most  of  the  morning,  and  made  his  way  to  the  sit- 
ting-room of  one  of  the  secretaries.  The  Honour- 
able Philip  Downing,  who  was  eagerly  waiting  for 
a  cable  recalling  him  to  take  up  a  promised  commis- 
sion, welcomed  him  heartily. 

"  Things  are  slack  here  to-day,  old  fellow.     Let's 


270  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

go  out  to  the  Country  Club  and  have  a  few  sets  of 
tennis  or  a  game  of  golf,  whichever  you  prefer,"  he 
suggested.  "  I've  done  my  little  lot  till  the  eve- 
ning." 

"  Show  on  to-night,  isn't  there  ?  "  Lutchester  in- 
quired. 

*'  Just  a  reception.  You're  going  to  put  in  an 
appearance  ?  " 

"  I  fancy  so.  Have  you  got  your  list  of  guests 
handy?" 

The  young  man  dived  into  a  drawer  and  produced 
a  few  typewritten  sheets. 

"  Alphabetical  list  of  acceptances,  with  here  and 
there  a  few  personal  notes,"  he  pointed  out,  with  an 
air  of  self-satisfaction.  "  I  go  through  this  list  with 
the  chief  while  he's  changing  for  dinner." 

Lutchester  ran  his  forefinger  down  the  list. 

"  Senator  Theodore  and  Mrs.  Hastings,"  he 
quoted.  "  By  the  bye,  they  have  a  niece  staying  with 
them." 

"  Want  a  card  for  her?  "  the  Honourable  Philip 
inquired  with  a  grin. 

"  I  should  like  it  sent  off  this  moment,"  Lutchester 
replied. 

The  young  man  took  a  square,  gilt-edged  card 
from  a  drawer  by  his  side,  filled  it  out  at  Lutchester's 
dictation,  rang  the  bell,  and  dispatched  it  by  special 
messenger. 

"  I've  got  my  little  buzzer  outside,"  he  observed. 
"  We'll  make  tracks  for  the  club,  if  you're  ready.** 

The  two  men  played  several  sets  of  tennis  and 
afterwards  lounged  in  two  wicker  chairs,  under- 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  271 

neath  a  gigantic  plane  tree  in  a  corner  of  the  lawn. 
The  place  was  crowded,  and  Philip  Downing  was 
an  excellent  showman. 

"  Washington,"  he  explained,  **  has  never  been  so 
divided  into  opposite  camps,  and  this  is  almost  the 
only  common  meeting  ground.  Every  one  has  to 
come  here,  of  course.  The  German  Staff  play  tennis 
and  the  Austrians  all  go  in  for  polo.  Here  comes 
Ziduski.  He's  most  fearfully  popular  with  the 
ladies  here  —  does  us  a  lot  of  harm,  they  say.  He's 
a  great  sticker  for  etiquette.  He  used  to  nod  and 
call  me  Phil.  Now  you  watch.  He'll  bow  from  his 
waist,  as  though  he  had  corsets  on.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  he's  a  good  sportsman." 

Count  Ziduski's  bow  was  stiff  enough  but  his 
intention  was  obvious.  He  stopped  before  the  two 
men,  exchanged  a  somewhat  stilted  greeting  with 
Philip  Downing,  and  turned  to  Lutchcster. 

"  I  believe,"  he  said,  "  that  I  have  the  honour  of 
addressing  Mr.  Lutchester?  " 

Lutchester  rose  to  his  feet. 

"  That  is  my  name,"  he  admitted. 

"  We  have  met  in  Rome,  I  think,  and  in  Paris," 
the  Count  reminded  him.  "  If  I  might  beg  for  the 
favour  of  a  few  moments'  conversation  with  you." 

The  two  men  strolled  away  together.  The  Count 
plunged  at  once  into  the  middle  of  things. 

"  It  is  you,  sir,  I  believe,  whom  I  have  to  thank 
for  the  abrupt  departure  of  Mademoiselle  Sonia  from 
New  York?" 

"  Quite  true,"  Lutchester  admitted. 

"  Under  different  circumstances,"  the  Count  pro- 


272  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

ceeded,  "  I  might  regard  such  interference  in  my 
affairs  in  a  different  manner.  Here,  of  course,  that 
is  impossible.  I  speak  to  you  out  of  regard  for  the 
lady  in  question.  You  appear  in  some  mysterious 
manner  to  have  discovered  the  fact  that  she  was  in 
the  habit  of  bringing  entirely  unimportant  and  non- 
political  messages  from  dear  friends  in  France." 

"  Mademoiselle  Sonia,"  Lutchester  said  calmly, 
"  had  for  a  brief  space  of  time  forgotten  herself. 
She  was  engaged  in  carrying  out  espionage  work  on 
your  behalf.  I  believe  I  may  say  that  she  will  do 
so  no  more." 

The  Count  was  a  man  of  medium  height,  thin, 
with  complexion  absolutely  colourless,  and  deep- 
set,  tired  eyes.  At  this  moment,  however,  he  seemed 
endowed  with  the  spirit  of  a  new  virility.  The  cane 
which  he  grasped  might  have  been  a  dagger.  His 
smooth  tones  nursed  a  threat. 

"  Mr.  Lutchester,"  he  declared,  "  if  harm  should 
come  to  her  through  your  information,  I  swear  to 
God  that  you  shall  pay !  " 

Lutchester's  manner  was  mild  and  unprovocative. 

"  Count,"  he  replied,  "  we  make  no  war  upon 
women.  Sonia  has  repented,  and  the  knowledge 
which  I  have  of  her  misdeeds  will  be  shared  by  no 
one.  She  has  gone  back  to  her  country  to  work  for 
the  Red  Cross  there.  So  far  as  I  am  concerned, 
that  is  the  end." 

The  two  men  walked  a  few  steps  further  in  un- 
broken silence.  Then  the  Count  raised  his  hat. 

"  Mr.  Lutchester,"  he  said,  "  yours  is  the  reply  of 
an  honourable  enemy.  I  might  have  trusted  you, 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  273 

but  Sonia  is  half  of  my  life.     I  offer  you  my  thanks." 

He  strolled  away,  and  Lutchester  rejoined  his 
young  friend. 

"  The  lion  and  the  lamb  seem  to  have  parted 
safely ! "  the  latter  exclaimed.  "  Now  sit  by  my 
side  and  I  will  show  you  interesting  things.  Those 
four  irreproachable  young  men  over  there  in  tennis 
flannels  are  all  from  the  German  Embassy.  The 
two  elder  ones  behind  are  Austrians.  All  those 
women  are  the  wives  of  Senators  who  sympathise 
with  Germany.  Their  husbands  look  like  it,  don't 
they?  To-day  they  have  an  addition  to  their  ranks 
—  the  thin,  elderly  man  there,  whose  clothes  were 
evidently  made  in  London.  That's  Senator  Hast- 
ings. He  is  a  personal  friend  of  the  President. 
Jove,  what  a  beautiful  girl  with  Mrs.  Hastings !  " 

"  That,"  Lutchester  told  him,  "  is  the  young  lady 
to  whom  you  have  just  sent  a  card  of  invitation  for 
to-night." 

"  Then  here's  hoping  that  she  comes,"  Philip 
Downing  observed,  finishing  his  glass  of  mint  julep. 
"  Is  she  a  pal  of  yours?  " 

"  Yes,  I  know  her,"  Lutchester  admitted. 

"  Let's  go  and  butt  in,  then,"  Downing  suggested. 
"  I  love  breaking  up  these  little  gatherings.  You'll 
see  them  all  stiffen  when  we  come  near.  I  hope  they 
haven't  got  hold  of  Hastings,  though." 

The  two  men  rose  to  their  feet  and  crossed  the 
lawn.  Fischer,  who  had  suddenly  appeared  in  the 
background,  whispered  something  in  Mrs.  Hastings' 
ear.  She  swung  around  to  Pamela,  a  second  too 
late.  Pamela,  with  a  word  of  excuse  to  the  young 


274  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

man  with  whom  she  was  talking,  stepped  away  from 
the  circle  and  held  out  her  hand  to  Lutchester. 

"  So  you  have  really  come  to  Washington ! "  she 
exclaimed. 

"  As  a  rescuer,"  Lutchester  replied.  "  I  feel  that 
I  have  a  mission.  We  cannot  afford  to  lose  your 
sympathies.  May  I  introduce  Philip  Downing?" 

Pamela  shook  hands  with  the  young  man  and  took 
her  place  between  them. 

"  I've  been  envying  you  your  seat  under  the  tree," 
she  said.  "  Couldn't  we  go  there  for  a  few  mo- 
ments?" 

Mrs.  Hastings  detached  herself  and  approached 
them.  She  received  Philip  Downing's  bow  cordially, 
and  she  was  almost  civil  to  Lutchester. 

"  I  can't  have  my  niece  taken  away,"  she  pro- 
tested. "We  are  just  going  in  to  tea,  Pamela." 

Pamela  shook  her  head. 

"  I  am  going  to  sit  under  that  tree  with  Mr.  Lut- 
chester and  Mr.  Downing,"  she  declared.  "  Tea 
doesn't  attract  me  in  the  least,  and  that  tree  does." 

Mrs.  Hastings  accepted  defeat  with  a  somewhat 
cynical  gracefulness.  She  closed  her  lorgnette  with 
a  little  snap. 

"  You  leave  us  all  desolated,  my  dear  Pamela,"  she 
said.  "  You  remind  me  of  what  your  poor  dear 
father  used  to  say  — '  Almost  any  one  could  live  with 
Pamela  if  she  always  had  her  own  way.' ' 

Pamela  laughed  as  she  strolled  across  the  lawn. 

'*  Aren't  one's  relatives  trying !  "  she  murmured. 


CHAPTER  XXXHI 

Philip  Downing  very  soon  justified  the  profession 
to  which  he  belonged  by  strolling  off  with  some  excuse 
about  paying  his  respects  to  some  acquaintances. 
Pamela  and  Lutchester  immediately  dropped  the 
somewhat  frivolous  tone  of  their  conversation. 

"  You  know  that  things  are  moving  with  our  friend 
Fischer?  "  she  began. 

"  I  gathered  so,"  Lutchester  assented. 

"  His  scheme  is  growing  into  shape,"  she  went  on. 
"  You  know  what  wonderful  people  his  friends  are 
for  organising.  Well,  they  are  going  to  start  a 
society  all  through  the  States  and  nominate  for  its 
president  —  Uncle  Theodore." 

"  Will  they  have  any  show  at  all?  "  Lutchester 
asked  curiously. 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  Who  can  tell?  The  German- Americans  arc  very 
powerful  indeed  all  through  the  West,  and  then  the 
pacifists  will  join  them.  You  see,  I  believe  that  al- 
though the  soul  of  the  country  is  with  the  Allies, 
England  is  the  most  tactless  country  in  the  world. 
She  is  always  giving  little  pinpricks  to  the  Govern- 
ment over  here,  either  about  maritime  law  or  one 
thing  or  another.  Then  all  those  articles  in  the 
papers  about  America  being  too  proud  to  fight,  the 


376  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

sneering  tone  of  some,  even,  of  the  leading  reviews, 
did  a  lot  of  harm.  Uncle  Theodore  is  going  to  stand 
for  what  they  call  the  true  neutrality.  That  is  to 
say,  no  munitions,  no  help  for  either  side." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  anything  about  American 
politics,"  Lutchester  confessed,  "  but  I  shouldn't 
think  he'd  have  an  earthly  chance." 

"  Money  is  immensely  powerful,"  she  went  on  re- 
flectively, "  and  many  of  the  great  money  interests 
of  the  country  are  controlled  by  German-Americans. 
Mr.  Fischer  has  almost  thrown  me  over  politically, 
but  Uncle  Theodore  is  crazy  about  the  idea  of  a 
German  pledge  to  protect  America  against  Japan. 
That  is  going  to  be  the  great  argument  which  he  will 
keep  up  his  sleeve  until  after  the  nomination." 

"  Fischer's  trump  card,"  Lutchester  observed. 
"  He  hasn't  shown  you  a  certain  autograph  letter 
yet,  I  suppose  ?  " 

She  shook  her  head. 

"  He  may  have  shown  it  to  Uncle  Theodore.  I'm 
afraid  he  doesn't  mean  to  approach  me  again.  He 
seems  to  have  completely  changed  his  attitude  to- 
wards me  since  the  night  he  saw  us  at  the  Ritz- 
Carlton  dining  together.  He  was  going  to  show  me 
the  letter  the  first  day  after  his  arrival  in  Washing- 
ton. Instead  of  that,  he  has  been  in  the  house  for 
hours  at  a  time  without  making  the  slightest  attempt 
to  see  me." 

"  Faithless  fellow ! "  Lutchester  murmured. 
"  Nothing  like  an  Englishman,  after  all,  for  absolute 
fidelity." 

"  Do    you    really    think    so  ? "    Pamela    inquired 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  977 

anxiously.  "  Do  you  think  I  should  be  safe  in  trust- 
ing my  heart  and  future  to  an  Englishman?  " 

"  To  one  particular  Englishman,  yes !  "  was  the 
firm  reply.  "  I  was  rather  hoping  you  might  have 
made  up  your  mind." 

"  Too  many  things  to  think  about,"  she  laughed. 
"  How  long  are  you  going  to  stay  in  Washington?  " 

"  A  few  hours  or  days  or  weeks  —  until  I  have  fin- 
ished the  work  that  brought  me  here." 

"  And  what  exactly  is  that?  " 

"  You  ask  me  lightly,"  he  replied,  "  but,  if  you 
are  willing,  I  have  decided  to  take  you  into  my  con- 
fidence. Our  friend  Nikasti  will  be  here  to-morrow. 
He  was  to  have  sailed  for  Japan  yesterday,  but  he 
has  postponed  his  voyage  for  a  few  days.  Do  you 
know  much  about  the  Japanese,  Miss  Pamela  ?  " 

"  Very  little,"  she  acknowledged. 

"  Well,  I  will  tell  you  one  thing.  They  are  not 
very  good  at  forgiving.  There  was  only  one  way  I 
could  deal  with  Nikasti  in  New  York,  and  it  was  a 
brutal  way.  I  have  seen  him  twice  since.  He 
wouldn't  look  me  in  the  eyes.  I  know  what  that 
means.  He  hates  me.  In  a  sense  I  don't  believe  he 
would  allow  that  to  interfere  in  any  way  with  his 
mission.  In  another  sense  it  would.  The  Allies, 
above  all  things,  have  need  of  Japan.  We  want 
Japan  and  America  to  be  friends.  We  don't  want 
Germany  butting  in  between  the  two.  Baron  Yung 
is  a  very  clever  man,  but  he  is  even  more  impenetra- 
ble than  his  countrymen  generally  are.  Our  people 
here  admit  that  they  find  it  difficult  to  progress  with 
him  very  far.  They  believe  that  secretly  he  is  in 


278  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

sympathy  with  Nikasti's  reports  —  but  you  don't 
know  about  those,  I  suppose?  " 

"  I  don't  think  I  do,"  she  admitted. 

"  Nikasti  was  sent  to  England  some  years  ago  to 
report  upon  us  as  a  country.  Japan  at  that  time 
was  meditating  an  alliance  with  one  of  the  great 
European  Powers.  Obviously  it  must  be  Germany 
or  England.  Nikasti  travelled  all  through  Eng- 
land, studied  our  social  life,  measured  our  weak- 
nesses ;  did  the  same  through  Germany,  returned  to 
Japan,  and  gave  his  vote  in  favour  of  Germany.  I 
have  even  seen  a  copy  of  his  report.  He  laid  great 
stress  upon  the  absolute  devotion  to  sport  of  our 
young  men,  and  the  entire  absence  of  any  patriotic 
sentiment  or  any  means  of  national  defence.  Well, 
as  you  know,  for  various  reasons  his  counsels  were 
over-ridden,  and  Japan  chose  the  British  alliance. 
That  was  entirely  the  fault  of  imperfect  German 
diplomacy.  At  a  time  like  this,  though,  I  cannot 
help  thinking  that  some  elements  of  his  former  dis- 
trust still  remain  in  Nikasti's  mind,  and  I  have  an 
idea  that  Baron  Yung  is,  to  a  certain  extent,  a 
sympathiser.  I've  got  to  get  at  the  bottom  of  this 
before  I  leave  the  States.  If  I  need  your  help,  will 
you  give  it  me  ?  " 

"  If  I  can,"  she  promised. 

They  saw  Mrs.  Hastings'  figure  on  the  terrace, 
waving,  and  Pamela  rose  reluctantly  to  her  feet. 

"  I  don't  suppose,"  Lutchester  continued,  as  they 
strolled  across  the  lawn,  "  that  you  have  very  much 
influence  with  your  uncle,  or  that  he  would  listen 
very  much  to  anything  that  you  have  to  say,  but  if 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  279 

he  is  really  in  earnest  about  this  thing,  he  is  going 
to  play  a  terribly  dangerous  game.  As  things  are  at 
present,  he  has  a  very  pleasant  and  responsible  posi- 
tion as  the  supporter  and  friend  of  very  able  men. 
With  regard  to  this  new  movement,  he  may  find  the 
whole  ground  crumble  away  beneath  his  feet. 
Fischer  is  playing  the  game  of  a  madman.  It  isn't 
only  political  defeat  that  might  come  to  him,  but  dis- 
grace —  even  dishonour." 

'*  You  frighten  me,"  Pamela  confessed  gravely. 

Lutchester  sighed. 

"  Your  uncle,"  he  went  on,  "  is  one  of  those  thor- 
oughly conceited,  egotistical  men  who  will  probably 
listen  to  no  one.  You  see,  I  have  found  out  a  little 
about  him  already.  But  they  tell  me  that  her  social 
position  means  a  great  deal  to  your  aunt.  Neither 
her  birth  nor  her  friends  could  save  her  if  Fischer 
drags  your  uncle  to  his  chariot  wheels." 

"  Do  you  think,  perhaps,  that  you  underestimate 
Mr.  Fischer's  position  over  here?"  she  asked 
thoughtfully. 

"  I  don't  think  I  do,"  he  replied,  "  but  here  is 
something  which  you  have  scarcely  appreciated. 
Fischer  has  had  the  effrontery  to  link  himself  up  with 
a  little  crowd  of  Germans  all  through  the  States, 
who  are  making  organised  attempts  to  destroy  the 
factories  where  ammunitions  are  being  made  for  the 
Allies.  That  sort  of  thing,  you  know,  would  bring 
any  one,  however,  distantly  connected  with  it,  to 
Sing  Sing.  .  .  .  One  moment,"  he  added  quickly,  as 
Mrs.  Hastings  stepped  forward  to  meet  them ;  "  the 
reception  at  the  British  Embassy  to-night?  " 


28o  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  The  others  are  going,"  she  said.  "  My  aunt 
didn't  feel  she  was  sufficiently  — " 

"  We  sent  you  a  card  round  especially  this  after- 
noon," Lutchester  interrupted.  "You'll  come?" 

"  How  nice  of  you !  Of  course  I  will,"  she  prom- 
ised. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

"  Small  affair,  this,"  Downing  observed,  as  he 
piloted  Lutchester  through  the  stately  reception 
rooms  of  the  Embassy.  "  You  see,  we  are  all  living 
a  sort  of  touchy  life  here,  nowadays.  We  try  to 
be  civil  to  any  of  the  German  or  Austrian  lot  when 
we  meet,  but  of  course  they  don't  come  to  our  func- 
tions. And  every  now  and  then  some  of  those 
plaguey  neutrals  get  the  needle  and  they  don't  come, 
so  we  never  know  quite  where  we  are.  Guadopolis 
has  been  avoiding  us  lately,  and  I  hear  he  was  seen 
out  at  the  Lakewood  Country  Club  with  Count 
Reszka,  the  Rumanian  Minister,  a  few  days  ago. 
Gave  the  Chief  quite  a  little  flurry,  that  did." 

"  There's  an  idea  over  in  London,"  Lutchester  re- 
marked, "  that  a  good  deal  of  the  war  is  being  shaped 
in  Washington  nowadays." 

"  That  is  the  Chief's  notion,"  Downing  assented. 
"  I  know  he's  pining  to  talk  to  you,  so  we'll  go  and 
do  the  dutiful." 

Lutchester  was  welcomed  as  an  old  friend  by  both 
the  Ambassador  and  his  wife.  The  former  drew  him 
to  a  divan  from  which  he  could  watch  the  entrance 
to  the  rooms,  and  sat  by  his  side. 

"  I  am  glad  they  sent  you  out,  Lutchester,"  he 
said  earnestly.  "  If  ever  a  country  needed  watch- 


28a  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

ing  by  a  man  with  intelligence  and  experience,  this 
one  does  to-day." 

"  Do  you  happen  to  know  that  fellow  Oscar 
Fischer?  "  Lutchester  asked. 

"  I  do,  and  I  consider  him  one  of  the  most  danger- 
ous people  in  the  States  for  us,"  the  Ambassador  de- 
clared. "  He  has  a  great  following,  huge  wealth, 
and,  although  he  is  not  a  man  of  culture,  he  doesn't 
go  about  his  job  in  that  bull-headed  way  that  most  of 
them  do." 

"  He's  trying  things  on  with  Japan,"  Lutchester 
observed.  "  I  think  I  shall  manage  to  checkmate 
him  there  all  right.  But  there's  another  scheme 
afloat  that  I  don't  follow  so  closely.  You  know 
Senator  Hastings,  I  suppose?  " 

The  Ambassador  nodded. 

"  Senator  Theodore  Hastings,"  he  repeated 
thoughtfully.  "  Yes,  he's  rather  a  dark  horse.  He 
is  supposed  to  be  the  President's  bosom  friend,  but  I 
hear  whispers  that  he'd  give  his  soul  for  a  nomina- 
tion, adopt  any  cause  or  fight  any  one's  battle." 

"  That's  my  own  idea  of  him,"  Lutchester  replied, 
"  and  I  think  you  will  find  him  in  the  field  with  a 
pretty  definite  platform  before  long." 

"  You  think  he's  mixed  up  with  Fischer  ?  "  the  Am- 
bassador inquired. 

"  I'm  sure  he  is,"  Lutchester  assented.  "  Not  only 
that,  but  they  have  something  up  their  sleeve.  I 
think  I  can  guess  what  it  is,  but  I'm  not  sure.  How 
have  things  seemed  to  you  here  lately?" 

"  To  tell  you  the  truth,  I  haven't  liked  the  look  of 
them,"  the  Ambassador  confided.  "  There's  some- 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  283 

thing  afoot,  and  I  can't  be  sure  what  it  is.  Look 
at  the  crowd  to-night.  Of  course,  all  the  Americans 
are  here,  but  the  diplomatic  attendance  has  never 
been  so  thin.  The  Rumanian  Minister  and  his  wife, 
the  Italian,  the  Spanish,  and  the  Swedish  represen- 
tatives are  all  absent.  I  have  just  heard,  too,  that 
Baron  von  Schwerin  is  giving  a  dinner-party." 

Lutchester  looked  thoughtfully  at  the  little  stream 
of  people.  The  Ambassador  left  him  for  a  few  mo- 
ments to  welcome  some  late  comers.  He  returned 
presently  and  resumed  his  seat  by  Lutchester's  side. 

"  Of  course,"  he  continued,  lowering  his  voice,  "  all 
formal  communications  between  us  and  the  enemy 
Embassies  have  ceased,  but  it  has  come  to  be  an 
understood  thing,  to  avoid  embarrassments  to  our 
mutual  friends,  that  we  do  not  hold  functions  on 
the  same  day.  I  heard  that  Von  Schwerin  was 
giving  this  dinner-party,  so  I  sent  round  this  morn- 
ing to  inquire.  The  reply  was  that  it  was  entirely  a 
private  one.  One  of  our  youngsters  brought  us  in 
a  list  of  the  guests  a  short  time  ago.  I  see  Hastings 
is  one  of  them,  and  Fischer,  and  Rumania  and  Greece 
will  be  represented.  Now  Hastings  was  to  have  been 
here,  and  as  a  rule  the  neutrals  are  very  punctilious." 

"  I  suppose  the  way  that  naval  affair  was  repre- 
sented didn't  do  us  any  good,"  Lutchester  observed. 

"  It  did  us  harm,  without  a  doubt,"  was  the  lugu- 
brious admission.  "  Still,  fortunately,  these  people 
over  here  are  clever  enough  to  understand  our  idio- 
syncrasies. I  honestly  think  we'd  rather  whine 
about  a  defeat  than  glory  in  a  victory." 

"  Diplomatically,     too,"     Lutchester     remarked 


a84  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

thoughtfully,  "  I  should  have  said  that  things  seemed 
all  right  here.  The  President  comes  in  for  a  great 
deal  of  abuse  in  some  countries.  Personally,  I  think 
he  has  been  wonderful." 

The  Ambassador  nodded. 

"  You  and  I  both  know,  Lutchester,"  he  said, 
"  that  the  last  tiling  we  want  is  to  find  America 
dragged  into  this  war.  Such  a  happening  would  be 
nothing  more  nor  less  than  a  catastrophe  in  itself,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  internal  dissensions  here.  On  the 
other  hand,  as  things  are  now,  Washington  is  becom- 
ing a  perfect  arena  for  diplomatic  chicanery,  and  I 
have  just  an  instinct  —  I  can't  define  it  in  any  way 
—  which  leads  me  to  believe  that  some  fresh  trouble 
has  started  within  the  last  twenty-four  hours." 

Lady  Ridlingshawe  motioned  to  her  husband  with 
her  fan,  and  he  rose  at  once  to  his  feet. 

"  I  must  leave  you  to  look  after  yourself  for  a 
time,  Lutchester,"  he  concluded.  "  You'll  find 
plenty  of  people  here  you  know.  Don't  go  until 
you've  seen  me  again." 

Lutchester  wandered  off  in  search  of  Pamela.  He 
found  her  with  Mrs.  Hastings,  surrounded  by  a  lit- 
tle crowd  of  acquaintances.  Pamela  waved  her  fan, 
and  they  made  way  for  him. 

"  Mr.  Lutchester,  I  have  been  looking  everywhere 
for  you !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  What  a  secretive  person 
you  are !  Why  couldn't  you  tell  me  that  Lady  Rid- 
lingshawe was  your  cousin?  I  want  you  to  take  me 
to  her,  please.  I  met  her  sister  out  in  Nice." 

She  laid  her  fingers  upon  his  arm,  and  they  passed 
out  of  the  little  circle. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  285 

"  All  bluff,  of  course,"  she  murmured.  "  Find  the 
quietest  place  you  can.  I  want  to  talk  to  you." 

They  wandered  out  on  to  a  balcony  where  some 
of  the  younger  people  were  taking  ices.  She  leaned 
over  the  wooden  rail. 

"  Listen,"  she  said,  "  I  adore  this  atmosphere,  and 
I  am  perfectly  certain  there  is  something  going  on  — 
something  exciting,  I  mean.  You  know  that  the 
Baron  von  Schwerin  has  a  dinner-party?  " 

"  I  know  that,"  he  assented. 

"  Uncle  Theodore  is  going  with  Mr.  Fischer.  He 
was  invited  at  the  last  moment,  and  I  understand 
that  his  presence  was  specially  requested." 

Lutchester  stood  for  a  short  time  in  an  absorbed 
and  sombre  silence.  In  the  deep  blue  twilight  his 
face  seemed  to  have  fallen  into  sterner  lines.  With- 
out a  doubt  he  was  disturbed.  Pamela  looked  at  him 
anxiously. 

"  Is  anything  the  matter  ?  "  she  asked. 

He  shook  his  head. 

"  Nothing  definite,  only  for  the  last  few  hours  I 
have  felt  that  things  here  are  reaching  a  crisis. 
There  is  something  going  on  around  us,  something 
which  seems  to  fill  Fischer  and  his  friends  with  con- 
fidence, something  which  I  don't  quite  understand, 
and  which  it  is  my  business  to  understand.  That  is 
really  what  is  worrying  me." 

She  nodded  sympathetically  and  glanced  around 
for  a  moment. 

**  Let  me  tell  you  something,"  she  whispered. 
**  This  evening  my  uncle  came  into  my  room  just  be- 
fore dinner.  There  is  a  little  safe  built  in  the  wall 


•86  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

for  jewellery.  He  begged  for  the  loan  of  it.  His 
library  safe,  he  said,  was  out  of  order.  I  couldn't 
see  what  he  put  in,  but  when  he  had  closed  the  door 
he  stood  looking  at  it  for  a  moment  curiously.  I 
made  some  jesting  remark  about  its  being  a  treasure 
chest,  but  he  answered  me  seriously.  '  You  are  go- 
ing to  sleep  to-night,  Pamela,'  he  said,  *  within  a  few 
yards  of  a  dozen  or  so  of  written  words  which  will 
change  the  world's  history.' ' 

Lutchester  was  listening  intently.  There  was  & 
prolonged  pause. 

"Well?"  he  asked,  at  last. 

She  glanced  at  the  little  Yale  key  which  hung 
from  her  bracelet. 

"  Nothing !  I  was  just  wondering  how  I  should  be 
able  to  sleep  through  the  night  without  opening  the 
safe." 

"  But  surely  your  uncle  didn't  give  you  the  key !  " 

She  shook  her  head. 

"  I  don't  suppose  he  knows  I  have  such  a  thing," 
she  replied.  "  He  has  a  master-key  himself  to  all 
the  safes,  which  he  used.  This  is  one  the  house- 
keeper gave  me  as  soon  as  I  arrived." 

Lutchester  looked  out  into  the  darkness. 

"  Tell  me,"  he  inquired,  "  is  that  your  house  •—- 
the  next  one  to  this  ?  " 

"  That's  the  old  Hastings'  house,"  she  assented. 
"  They  are  all  family  mansions  along  here." 

"  It  looks  an  easy  place  to  burgle,"  he  remarked. 

She  laughed  quietly. 

"  I  should  think  it  would  be,"  she  admitted. 
**  There  are  any  quantity  of  downstair  windows. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  287 

We  don't  have  burglaries  in  Washington,  though  — 
certainly  not  this  side  of  the  city." 

A  little  bevy  of  young  people  had  found  their  way 
into  the  gardens.  Lutchester  waited  until  they  had 
passed  out  of  earshot  before  he  spoke  again. 

"  I  have  reason  to  believe,"  he  continued,  "  that  in 
the  course  of  their  negotiations  Fischer  has  deposited 
with  your  uncle  a  certain  autograph  letter,  of  which 
we  have  already  spoken,  making  definite  proposals 
to  America  if  she  will  change  her  attitude  on  the 
neutrality  question." 

"  The  written  words,"  Pamela  murmured. 

Lutchester's  hand  suddenly  closed  upon  her  wrist. 
She  was  surprised  to  find  his  fingers  so  cold,  yet 
marvellously  tenacious. 

"  You  are  going  to  lose  that  key  and  I  am  going  to 
find  it,"  he  said,  quietly.  "  I  am  sorry  —  but  you 
must.'* 

"  I  am  going  to  do  nothing  of  the  sort,"  Pamela 
objected. 

His  fingers  remained  like  a  cold  vice  upon  her 
wrist.  She  made  no  effort  to  draw  it  away. 

"  Listen,"  he  said ;  "  do  you  believe  that  the  Has- 
tings-cum-Fischer  party  is  going  to  be  the  best  thing 
that  could  happen  for  America?  " 

"  I  certainly  do  not,"  she  admitted. 

"  Then  do  as  I  beg.  Let  me  take  that  key  from 
your  bracelet.  You  shall  have  no  other  responsi- 
bility." 

"  And  what  are  you  going  to  do  with  it  ?  " 

*'  You  must  leave  that  to  me,"  he  answered.  '*  I 
will  tell  you  as  much  as  I  can.  I  stopped  Nikasti 


a88  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

sailing  for  Japan,  but  I  made  a  mortal  enemy  of  him 
at  the  same  time.  He  has  come  to  Washington  to 
consult  with  his  Ambassador.  They  are  together  to- 
night. It  is  my  mission  to  convince  them  of  Ger- 
many's duplicity." 

"  I  see.  .  .  .  And  you  think  that  these  written 
words  — ?  " 

"  Give  the  key  to  me,"  he  begged,  "  and  ask  no 
questions." 

She  shook  her  head. 

"I  should  object  most  strongly  to  nocturnal  dis- 
turbers of  my  slumbers !  " 

It  seemed  to  her  that  his  frame  had  become  tenser, 
his  tone  harder.  The  grip  of  his  fingers  was  still 
upon  her  wrist. 

"  Even  your  objection,"  he  said,  "  might  not  re- 
lieve you  of  the  possibility  of  their  advent." 

"  Don't  be  silly,"  she  answered,  "  and,  above  all, 
don't  try  to  threaten  me.  If  you  want  my  help  — " 

She  looked  steadfastly  across  at  the  looming  out- 
line of  the  Hastings'  house. 

"  I  do  want  your  help,"  he  assured  her. 

"  How  long  should  you  require  the  letter  for?  " 

"  One  hour,"  he  replied. 

She  led  him  down  some  steps  on  to  the  smooth 
lawns  which  encircled  the  house.  They  passed  in 
and  out  of  some  gigantic  shrubs  until  at  last  they 
came  to  a  paling.  She  felt  along  it  for  a  few  yards. 

"  There  is  a  gate  there,"  she  told  him.  "  Can  you 
do  anything  with  it?  " 

It  was  fastened  by  an  old  lock.  He  lifted  it  off 
its  hinges,  and  they  both  passed  through. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  289 

"  Keep  behind  the  shrubs  as  much  as  you  can," 
she  whispered.  "  There  is  a  way  into  the  house 
from  the  verandah  here." 

They  reached  at  last  the  shadow  of  the  building. 
She  paused. 

*'  Wait  here  for  me,"  she  continued.  *'  I  would 
rather  enter  the  house  without  being  seen,  if  I  can, 
but  it  doesn't  really  matter.  I  can  make  some  excuse 
for  coming  back.  Don't  move  from  where  you 
are." 

She  glided  away  from  him  and  disappeared.  Lut- 
chester  waited,  standing  well  back  in  the  shadow 
of  the  shrubs.  From  the  Embassy  came  all  the  time 
the  sound  of  music,  occasionally  even  the  murmur 
of  voices ;  from  the  dark  house  in  front  of  him, 
nothing.  Suddenly  he  heard  what  seemed  to  be  the 
opening  of  a  window,  and  then  soft  footsteps. 
Pamela  appeared  round  the  corner  of  the  building, 
a  white,  spectral  figure  against  that  background  of 
deep  blue  darkness.  She  came  on  tiptoe,  running 
down  the  steps  and  holding  her  skirts  with  both 
hands. 

"  Not  a  soul  has  seen  me,"  she  whispered.  "  Take 
this  quickly." 

She  thrust  an  envelope  into  his  hands,  and  some- 
thing hard  with  it. 

"  That's  Uncle  Theodore's  seal,"  she  explained. 
"  He  sealed  up  the  envelope  when  he  put  it  in  there. 
Now  come  back  quickly  to  the  Embassy.  You  must 
please  hurry  with  what  you  want  to  do.  If  I  have 
left  when  you  return,  you  must  come  back  to  exactly 
this  place.  That  window  " —  she  pointed  upwards 


ago  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

—  "  will  be  wide  open.  You  must  throw  &  pic?  com. 
or  a  pebble  through  it.  I  shall  be  waiting." 

"  I  understand,"  he  assured  her. 

They  retraced  their  steps.  Once  more  they  drew 
near  to  the  Embassy.  The  night  had  grown  warmer 
and  more  windows  had  been  opened.  They  reached 
the  verandah.  She  touched  his  hand  for  a  moment. 

"  Well,"  she  said,  "  I  don't  know  whether  I  have 
been  wise  or  not.  Try  and  be  back  in  less  than  an 
hour,  if  you  can.  I  am  going  in  alone." 

She  left  him,  and  Lutchester,  after  a  few  brief 
words  with  the  Ambassador,  hurried  away  to  his 
task.  In  twenty  minutes  he  stood  before  a  tall, 
grey-stone  building,  a  few  blocks  away,  was  admitted 
by  a  Japanese  butler,  and  conducted,  after  some 
hesitation,  into  a  large  room  at  the  back  of  the 
house.  An  elderly  man,  dressed  for  the  evening,  with 
the  lapel  of  his  coat  covered  with  orders,  was  await- 
ing him. 

"  I  am  a  stranger  to  you,  Baron,"  Lutchester  be- 
gan. 

"  That  does  not  matter,"  was  the  grave  reply. 
"  Ten  minutes  ago  I  had  an  urgent  telephone  call 
from  our  mutual  friend.  His  Excellency  told  me 
that  he  was  sending  a  special  messenger,  and  begged 
me  to  give  you  a  few  minutes.  I  have  left  a  confer- 
ence of  some  importance,  and  I  am  here." 

"  A  few  minutes  will  be  enough,"  Lutchester  prom- 
ised. "  I  am  engaged  by  the  English  Government 
upon  Secret  Service  work.  I  came  to  America,  fol- 
lowing a  man  named  Fischer.  You  have  heard  of 
him?" 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  291 

"  I  have  heard  of  him,"  the  Ambassador  acknowl- 
edged. 

"  In  New  York,"  Lutchester  continued,  *'  he  met 
one  of  your  countrymen,  Prince  Nikasti,  a  man,  I 
may  add,"  Lutchester  went  on,  "  for  whom  I  have 
the  highest  respect  and  esteem,  although  quite 
'•penly,  years  ago,  he  pronounced  himself  unfavour- 
ably disposed  towards  my  country.  The  object  of 
Fischer's  meeting  with  Prince  Nikasti  was  to  con- 
vey to  him  certain  definite  proposals  on  behalf  of  the 
German  Government.  They  wish  for  a  rapproche- 
ment with  your  country.  They  offer  certain  terms, 
confirmation  of  which  Fischer  brought  with  him  in 
an  autograph  letter." 

There  was  a  moment's  silence.  Not  a  word  came 
from  the  man  who  seemed  to  have  learnt  the  gift  of 
sitting  with  absolute  immovability.  Even  his  eyes 
did  not  blink.  He  sat  and  waited. 

"  The  proposals  made  to  you  are  plausible  and  de- 
serving of  consideration,"  Lutchester  proceeded. 
"  Do  not  think  that  there  exists  in  my  mind,  or 
would  exist  in  the  mind  of  any  Englishman  knowing 
of  them,  any  feeling  of  resentment  that  these  pro- 
posals should  have  been  received  by  you  for  consid- 
eration. Nothing  in  this  world  counts  to  those  who 
follow  the  arts  of  diplomacy,  save  the  simple  welfare 
of  the  people  whom  he  represents.  It  is  therefore 
the  duty  of  every  patriot  to  examine  carefully  all 
proposals  made  to  him  likely  to  militate  to  the  ad- 
vantage of  his  own  people.  You  have  a  letter,  offer- 
ing you  certain  terms  to  withdraw  from  your  present 
alliances.  Here  is  a  letter  from  the  same  source,  in 


ao.2  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

the  same  handwriting,  written  to  America.  Break 
the  seal  yourself.  It  was  brought  to  this  country 
by  Fischer,  in  the  same  dispatch  box  as  yours,  to  be 
handed  to  some  responsible  person  in  the  American 
Government.  It  was  handed  to  Senator  Theodore 
Hastings.  It  is  to  form  part  of  his  platform  on  the 
day  when  his  nomination  as  President  is  announced. 
It  must  be  back  in  his  safe  within  three-quarters  of 
an  hour.  Break  the  seal  and  read  it." 

The  Japanese  held  out  his  hand,  broke  the  seal  of 
the  envelope,  and  read.  His  face  remained  immov- 
able. When  he  had  finished  he  looked  up  at  his 
visitor. 

"  I  am  permitted  to  take  a  copy  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Certainly!" 

He  touched  a  bell,  spoke  down  a  mouthpiece,  and 
with  almost  necromantic  swiftness  two  young  men 
were  in  the  room.  A  camera  was  dragged  out,  a 
little  flash  of  light  shot  up  to  the  ceiling,  and  the 
attaches  vanished  as  quickly  as  they  had  come.  The 
Ambassador  replaced  the  document  in  its  envelope, 
handed  a  stick  of  sealing-wax  and  a  candle  to  Lut- 
chester,  who  leaned  over  and  resealed  the  enve- 
lope. 

"  The  negative  ?  "  he  enquired. 

"  Will  be  kept  under  lock  and  key,"  the  Ambas- 
sador promised.  *'  It  will  pass  into  the  archives  of 
Japanese  history.  In  future  we  shall  know." 

Once  more  he  touched  a  bell.  The  door  was 
opened.  Lutchester  found  himself  escorted  into  the 
street.  He  was  back  at  the  Embassy  in  time  to 
meet  a  little  stream  of  departing  guests.  Lady  Rid- 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Hngshawe  patted  him  on  the  shoulder  with  her 
fan. 

"  Deserter ! "  she  exclaimed,  reproachfully. 
"  Wherever  have  you  been  hiding?  " 

Lutchester  made  some  light  reply  and  passed  on. 
He  made  his  way  out  into  the  gardens.  The  dark- 
ness now  was  a  little  more  sombre,  and  he  had  to 
grope  his  way  to  the  palings.  Soon  he  stood  before 
the  dark  outline  of  the  adjoining  house.  In  the  win- 
dow towards  which  he  was  making  his  way  a  single 
candle  in  a  silver  candlestick  was  burning.  He 
paused  underneath  and  listened.  Then  he  took  a 
pine  cone  which  he  had  picked  up  on  his  way  and 
threw  it  through  the  open  window.  The  candle  was 
withdrawn.  A  shadowy  form  leaned  out. 

"  I'm  quite  alone,"  she  assured  him  softly.  "  Can 
you  throw  it  in?  " 

He  nodded. 

"  I  think  so." 

His  first  effort  was  successful.  The  seal  followed, 
wrapped  up  in  his  handkerchief.  A  moment  or  two 
later  he  saw  Pamela's  face  at  the  window. 

"  Good  night !  "  she  whispered.  "  Quickly,  please. 
There  is  still  some  one  about  downstairs." 

The  light  was  extinguished.  Lutchester  made  his 
way  cautiously  back,  replaced  the  gate  upon  its 
hinges  and  reached  the  shelter  of  the  Embassy,  de- 
nuded now  of  guests.  He  found  Downing  in  the 
smoking-room. 

"Can  I  get  a  whisky  and  soda?"  Lutchester 
asked,  in  response  to  the  latter's  vociferous  greeting. 

"  Call  it  a  highball,"  was  the  prompt  reply,  "  and 


294  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

you  can  have  as  many  as  you  like.     Have  you  earned 
it?  "  he  added,  a  little  curiously. 

"I  almost  believe  that  I  have,"  Lutchester  as- 
sented. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

Mr.  Oscar  Fischer  and  his  friend,  Senator  Theo- 
dore Hastings,  stood  side  by  side,  a  week  later,  in 
the  bar  of  one  of  the  most  fashionable  of  New  York 
hotels.  They  were  passing  away  the  few  minutes 
before  Pamela  and  her  aunt  would  be  ready  to  join 
them  in  the  dining  room  above. 

"  Very  little  news,  I  fancy,"  Hastings  remarked, 
glancing  at  the  tape  which  was  passing  through  his 
companion's  fingers. 

"  Nothing  —  of  any  importance,"  Fischer  replied. 
"  Nothing." 

The  older  man  glanced  searchingly  at  his  com- 
panion, the  change  in  whose  tone  was  ominous. 
Fischer  was  standing  with  the  tape  in  his  hand,  his 
eyes  glued  upon  a  certain  paragraph.  The  Senator 
took  out  his  eyeglasses  and  looked  over  his  friend's 
shoulder. 

"  What's  this?  "  he  demanded.     "  Eh?  " 

Fischer  was  fighting  a  great  battle  and  fighting  it 
well. 

"  Something  wrong,  apparently,  with  Frank 
Roughton,"  he  observed ;  "  an  old  college  friend  of 

mine.  They  made  him  Governor  of only  last 

year.5' 

Hastings  read  the  item  thoughtfully. 

Governor    Roughton   this   morning  tendered   his 


2Q6  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

resignation  as  Governor  of  the  State  of .     We 

understand  that  it  was  at  once  accepted.  Numer- 
ous arrests  have  taken  place  with  reference  to  the 
great  explosion  at  the  Bembridge  powder  factory. 

"Looks  rather  fishy,  that,"  Hastings  observed 
thoughtfully. 

"  I'm  sorry  for  Roughton,"  Fischer  declared. 
"  He  was  a  perfectly  straight  man,  and  I  am  sure  he 
has  done  his  best." 

"  Great  friend  of  yours  ?  "  the  other  asked  curi- 
ously. 

"  We  were  intimately  acquainted,"  was  the  brief 
answer. 

The  two  men  finished  their  cocktails  in  silence. 
On  their  way  upstairs  the  Senator  took  his  compan- 
ion's arm. 

"  Fischer,"  he  said,  "  you'll  forgive  me  if  I  put  a 
certain  matter  to  you  plainly  ?  " 

"Naturally!" 

"  Within  the  last  few  days,"  Hastings  proceeded, 
"  there  have  been  seven  explosions  or  fires  at  various 
factories  throughout  the  States.  It  is  a  somewhat 
significant  circumstance,"  he  added,  after  a  slight 
pause,  "  that  every  one  of  these  misfortunes  has 
occurred  at  a  factory  where  munitions  of  some  sort 
for  the  Allies  have  been  in  process  of  manufacture. 
Shrewd  men  have  naturally  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  there  is  some  organisation  at  work." 

"  I  should  doubt  it,"  Fischer  replied.  "  You  must 
remember  that  there  is  always  a  great  risk  of  disas- 
ters in  factories  where  explosives  are  being  handled. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  197 

It  is  a  new  thing  to  many  of  the  manufacturers  here, 
and  it  is  obvious  that  they  are  not  making  use  of 
all  the  necessary  precautions." 

"  I  see,"  Hastings  observed,  reflectively.  "  So 
that  is  how  you  would  explain  this  epidemic  of  dis- 
asters, eh?  " 

"  Certainly ! " 

"  At  the  same  time,  Fischer,  to  set  my  mind  en- 
tirely at  rest,"  Hastings  continued,  "I  should  like 
your  assurance  that  you  have  nothing  whatever  to  do 
with  any  organisation,  should  there  be  such  a  thing, 
including  in  its  object  the  destruction  of  American 
property." 

"  I  will  do  more  than  answer  your  question  in  the 
direct  negative,"  was  the  firm  reply.  "  I  will  assure 
you  that  no  such  organisation  exists." 

"  I  am  relieved  to  hear  it,"  Hastings  confessed. 
lt  This  resignation  of  Roughton,  however,  seems  a 
strange  thing.  Most  of  these  fires  have  occurred  in 
his  State.  .  .  .  Ah!  there  is  Senator  Joyce  waiting 
for  us,  and  Pamela  and  Mrs.  Hastings." 

Mr.  Hastings  as  a  host  was  in  his  element.  His 
manners  and  tact,  which  his  enemies  declared  were 
far  too  perfect,  were  both  admirably  displayed  in  the 
smaller  ways  of  life.  He  guided  the  conversation 
into  light  yet  opportune  subjects,  and  he  utterly 
ignored  the  fact  that  Senator  Joyce,  one  of  the  great 
politicians  of  the  day,  whose  support  of  his  nomina- 
tion was  already  more  than  half  promised,  seemed 
distrait  and  a  little  cold.  It  was  Pamela  who  quite 
inadvertently  steered  the  conversation  into  a  dan- 
gerous channel. 


ag8  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  What  has  Governor  Roughton  been  doing,  Mr. 
Fischer?  "  she  asked. 

There  was  a  moment's  silence.  Pamela's  question 
had  fallen  something  like  a  bombshell  amongst  the 
little  party.  It  was  their  guest  who  replied. 

"  The  matter  is  occupying  the  attention  of  the 
country  very  largely  at  the  moment,  Miss  Van  Teyl," 
he  said.  "  It  is  perhaps  unfortunate  that  Governor 
Roughton  seems  to  have  allowed  his  sympathies  to 
be  so  clearly  known." 

"He  is  a  German  by  birth,  is  he  not?"  Pamela 
inquired. 

"  Most  decidedly  not,"  Fischer  asserted.  "  I  was 
at  Harvard  with  him." 

"  All  the  same,"  Pamela  murmured  under  her 
breath,  "  I  think  that  he  was  born  at  Stuttgart." 

"  He  is  an  American  citizen,"  Senator  Joyce  ob- 
served, "  and  has  reached  a  high  position  here.  We 
of  the  Administration  may  be  wrong,"  he  continued, 
"  but  we  believe,  and  we  think  that  we  have  a  right 
to  believe,  that  when  any  man  of  conscience  and 
ideals  takes  the  oath,  he  is  free  from  all  previous 
prejudices.  He  is  an  American  citizen  —  nothing 
more  and  nothing  less." 

"  Of  course,  that  is  magnificent,"  Pamela  declared, 
"  but  it  isn't  common  sense,  is  it,  and  you  haven't 
answered  my  original  question  yet." 

"  I  am  not  in  a  position  to  do  so,  Miss  Van  Teyl," 
Joyce  replied.  "  The  trouble  probably  is  that  Gov- 
ernor Roughton  has  been  considered  incompetent  as 
so  many  of  these  disasters  have  taken  place  un- 
hindered in  his  State." 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  299 

"  There  was  a  rumour,"  Pamela  persisted,  "  that 
he  was  under  arrest." 

"  Quite  untrue,  I  am  sure,"  Fischer  muttered. 

There  was  a  general  diversion  of  the  conversation, 
but  the  sense  of  uneasiness  remained.  Pamela  and 
Mrs.  Hastings,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  little  ban- 
quet, acting  upon  a  hint  from  their  host,  made  their 
way  to  one  of  the  small  drawing-rooms  for  their 
coffee.  Left  alone,  the  three  men  drew  their  chairs 
closer  together.  Joyce's  fine  face  seemed  somehow 
to  have  become  a  little  harder  and  more  unsympa- 
thetic. He  sipped  the  water,  which  was  his  only 
beverage,  and  pushed  away  the  cigars  in  which  he 
generally  indulged. 

"  Mr.  Hastings,"  he  pronounced,  "  I  have  given 
the  subject  of  supporting  your  nomination  my  deep- 
est consideration.  I  was  at  one  time,  I  must  confess, 
favourably  disposed  towards  the  idea.  I  have 
changed  my  mind.  I  have  decided  to  give  my  sup- 
port to  the  present  Administration." 

Fischer's  face  was  dark  with  anger.  He  even 
allowed  an  expletive  to  escape  from  his  lips. 
Hastings,  however,  remained  master  of  him- 
self. 

"  I  will  not  conceal  from  you,  Mr.  Joyce,"  he  con- 
fessed, "  that  I  am  exceedingly  disappointed.  You 
have  fully  considered  everything,  I  presume  —  our 
pledge,  for  instance,  to  nominate  you  as  my  suc- 
cessor? " 

"  I  have  considered  everything,"  Joyce  replied. 
"  The  drawback  in  my  mind,  to  be  frank  with  you,  is 
that  I  doubt  whether  you  would  receive  sufficient  sup- 


3QO  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

port  throughout  the  country.  It  is  my  idea,"  he 
went  on,  "  although  I  may  be  wrong,  of  course,  that 
the  support  of  the  German- Americans  who,  you  must 
allow  me  to  maintain,  are  an  exceedingly  unneutral 
part  of  America,  will  place  you  in  an  unpopular  posi- 
tion. Should  you  succeed  in  getting  yourself  elected, 
which  I  very  much  doubt,  you  will  be  an  unpopular 
President.  I  would  rather  wait  my  time." 

"  You  have  changed  your  views,"  Fischer  mut- 
tered. 

"  To  be  perfectly  frank  with  you,  I  have,"  Joyce 
acknowledged.  "  These  outrages  throughout  the 
States  are,  to  my  mind,  blatant  and  criminal.  Di- 
rectly or  indirectly,  the  German-American  public  is 
responsible  for  them  —  indirectly,  by  inflammatory 
speeches,  reckless  journalism,  and  point-blank  lauda- 
tion of  illegal  acts ;  directly  —  well,  here  I  can  speak 
only  from  my  own  suspicions,  so  I  will  remain  silent. 
But  my  mind  is  made  up.  A  man  in  this  country, 
as  you  know,"  he  added,  "  need  make  only  one  mis- 
take and  his  political  future  is  blasted.  I  am  not  in- 
clined to  risk  making  that  one  mistake." 

Hastings  sighed.  He  was  making  a  brave  effort 
to  conceal  a  great  disappointment. 

"  One  cannot  argue  with  you,  Mr.  Joyce,"  he  re- 
gretted. "  You  have  come  to  a  certain  conclusion, 
and  words  are  not  likely  to  alter  it.  There  is  no  one 
I  would  so  dearly  have  loved  to  number  amongst  my 
supporters,  but  I  see  that  it  is  a  privilege  for  which 
I  may  not  hope.  .  .  .  We  will,  if  you  are  ready, 
Fischer,  join  the  ladies." 

They  rose  from  the  table  a  few  minutes  later. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  301 

Fischer,  who  had  been  eagerly  watching  his  oppor- 
tunity, drew  Senator  Joyce  on  one  side  for  a  moment 
as  they  passed  down  the  crowded  corridor. 

"  Mr.  Joyce,"  he  said,  "  I  have  heard  your  decision 
to-night  with  deeper  regret  than  I  can  express,  yet 
more  than  ever  it  has  brought  home  one  truth  to  me. 
Our  position  towards  you  was  a  wrong  one.  We 
offered  you  a  reversion  when  we  should  have  offered 
you  the  thing  itself." 

Senator  Joyce  swung  around. 

"  Say,  Mr.  Fischer,  what  are  you  getting  at?  '*  he 
asked  bluntly. 

"  I  mean  that  it  is  Hastings  and  I  who  should  have 
been  your  supporters,  and  you  who  should  have  been 
our  candidate,"  Fischer  suggested  boldly.  "  What 
about  it?  It  isn't  too  late." 

"  Nothing  doing,  sir,"  was  the  firm  reply.  "  Theo- 
dore Hastings  may  not  be  exactly  my  type  of  man, 
but  I  am  not  out  to  see  him  cornered  like  that,  and 
besides,  to  tell  you  the  honest  truth,  Mr.  Fischer," 
he  added,  pausing  at  the  door,  "  when  I  stand  for  the 
Presidency,  I  want  to  do  so  not  on  the  nomination 
of  you  or  your  friendss  or  any  underground  schem- 
ers. I  want  the  support  of  the  real  American  citi- 
zen. I  want  to  be  free  from  all  outside  ties  and 
obligations.  I  want  to  stand  for  America,  and 
America  only.  I  not  only  want  to  be  President,  you 
see,  but  I  want  to  be  the  chosen  President  of  the  right 
sort  of  people.  ...  I  am  going  to  ask  you  to  ex- 
cuse me  to  the  ladies  and  our  host,  Mr.  Fischer,"  he 
concluded,  holding  out  his  hand.  "  I  had  a  note  ask- 
ing me  to  visit  the  Attorney  General,  which  I  only 


3<»  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

received  on  my  way  here.  I  have  an  idea  that  it  is 
about  this  Roughton  business." 

Fischer  returned  to  the  others  alone.  Hastings 
was  clearly  disturbed  at  his  guest's  departure.  His 
friend  and  supporter,  however,  affected  to  treat  it 
lightly. 

"  Joyce  is  like  all  these  lawyers,"  he  declared. 
"  He  is  simply  waiting  to  see  which  way  the  wind 
blows.  I  have  come  across  them  many  times.  They 
like  to  wait  till  parties  are  evenly  balanced,  till  their 
support  makes  all  the  difference,  and  clinch  their 
bargain  then." 

"  I  should  have  said,"  Pamela  remarked,  "  that 
Mr.  Joyce  was  a  man  above  that  sort  of  thing." 

"  Every  man  has  his  price  and  his  weak  spot,"  her 
uncle  observed  didactically.  "  Joyce's  price  is  the 
Presidency.  His  weak  spot  is  popular  adulation.  I 
agree  with  Fischer.  He  will  probably  join  us  later." 

Mr.  Hastings  was  summoned  to  the  telephone,  a 
moment  or  two  later.  Mrs.  Hastings  sat  down  to 
write  a  note,  and  Pamela  moved  her  place  over  to 
Fischer's  side.  His  face  brightened  at  her  spontane- 
ous movement.  She  shook  her  head,  however,  at  the 
little  compliment  with  which  he  welcomed  her. 

"  This  afternoon,"  she  said  softly,  "  I  met  Mr. 
Lutchester." 

"  Is  he  back  in  New  York  ? "  Fischer  asked, 
frowning. 

Pamela  nodded. 

"  He  told  me  something  which  I  feel  inclined  to 
tell  you,"  she  continued,  glancing  into  her  com- 
panion's haggard  face  with  a  gleam  of  sympathy  in 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  303 

her  eyes.  "  You'll  probably  see  it  in  the  newspapers 
to-morrow  morning.  Governor  Roughton's  resigna- 
tion was  compulsory.  He  is  under  arrest." 

"  For  negligence  ?  " 

"  For  participation,"  was  the  grave  reply.  "  Mr. 
Lutchester  has  been  down  to  —  the  city  where  these 
things  took  place.  He  only  got  back  late  this  after- 
noon." 

"  Lutchester  again !  "  Fischer  muttered. 

"  You  see,  it's  rather  in  his  line,"  Pamela  re- 
minded him.  "  He  is  over  here  to  superintend  the 
production  of  munitions  from  the  factories  which  are 
working  for  the  British  Government." 

"  He  is  over  here  as  a  sort  of  general  mischief- 
maker  !  "  Fischer  exclaimed  fiercely.  "  Do  I  under- 
stand that  he  has  been  down  in ?  " 

Pamela  nodded. 

"  He  went  down  with  one  of  the  heads  of  the  New 
York  police." 

She  turned  away,  but  Fischer  caught  at  her  wrist. 

"  You  know  more  than  this ! "  he  cried  hoarsely. 

The  agony  in  the  man's  face  and  tone  touched 
her.  After  all,  he  was  fighting  for  the  great  things. 
There  was  nothing  mean  about  Fischer,  nothing 
selfish  about  his  lying  and  his  crimes. 

"  I  have  told  you  all  that  I  can,"  she  whispered, 
"  but  if  you  hurried,  you  could  catch  the  New  York 
to-night  —  and  I  think  I  should  advise  you  to  go." 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 

Fischer,  on  leaving  his  unsuccessful  dinner  party, 
drove  direct  to  the  residence  of  Mr.  Max  H. 
Bookam,  in  Fifth  Avenue.  The  butler  who  admitted 
him  looked  a  little  blank  at  his  inquiry. 

"  Mr.  Bookam  was  expected  home  yesterday, 
sir,"  he  announced.  "  He  has  not  arrived,  however." 

"  Has  there  been  any  telegram  from  him  ?  —  any 
news  as  to  the  cause  of  his  non-return?  "  Fischer 
persisted. 

"  I  believe  that  Mr.  Kaye,  his  secretary,  has  some 
information,  sir,"  the  man  admitted.  "  Perhaps 
you  would  like  to  see  him." 

Fischer  did  not  hesitate,  and  was  conducted  at 
once  to  the  study  in  which  Mr.  Bookam  was  wont 
to  indulge  in  various  nefarious  Stock  Exchange  ad- 
ventures. The  room  was  occupied  on  this  occasion 
by  a  dejected-looking  young  man,  with  pasty  face 
and  gold  spectacles.  The  apartment,  as  Fischer 
was  quick  to  notice,  showed  signs  of  a  strange  dis- 
order. 

"Where's  Mr.  Bookam?  "  he  asked  quickly. 

The  young  man  walked  to  the  door,  shook  it  to 
be  sure  that  it  was  closed,  and  came  back  again. 
His  tone  was  ominous,  almost  dramatic. 

"  In  the  State  Prison  at ,  sir,"  he  announced. 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  305 

"  What  for  ?  "  Fischer  demanded,  breathing  a  lit- 
tle thickly. 

"  I  have  no  certain  information,"  the  secretary 
replied,  with  a  noncommittal  air.  "  All  I  know  is 
that  I  had  a  long-distance  telephone  to  burn  certain 
documents,  but  before  I  could  do  so  the  room  and 
the  house  were  searched  by  New  York  detectives, 
whose  warrant  it  was  useless  to  resist." 

"  But  what's  the  charge  against  Mr.  Bookam?  " 

"  It's  something  to  do  with  the  disasters  in ," 

the  young  man  confided.  "  The  Governor  of  the 
State,  who  is  Mr.  Bookam's  cousin,  is  in  the  same 
trouble.  .  .  .  Better  sit  down  a  moment,  sir. 
You're  looking  white." 

Mr.  Fischer  threw  himself  into  an  easy-chair.  He 
felt  like  a  man  who  has  built  a  mighty  piece  of 
machinery,  has  set  it  swinging  through  space,  and 
watches  now  its  imminent  collapse;  watches  some 
tiny  but  ghastly  flaw,  pregnant  with  disaster,  grow- 
ing wider  and  wider  before  his  eyes. 

"  What  papers  did  the  police  take  away  with 
them  ?  "  he  asked. 

**  There  wasn't  very  much  for  them,"  the  secretary 
replied.  "  There  was  a  list  of  the  names  of  the  pro- 
posed organisation  which,  owing  to  your  very  wise 
intervention,  was  never  formed.  There  was  a  list 
of  factories  throughout  the  United  States  in  which 
munitions  are  being  made,  with  a  black  mark  against 
those  holding  the  most  important  contracts.  And 
there  was  a  letter  from  Governor  Roughton." 

"  Mr.  Bookam  hasn";  drawn  any  cheques  lately  for 
large  amounts?  "  Fischer  inquired  eagerly. 


3o6  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  There  are  three  in  his  private  cheque-book,  sir, 
the  counterfoils  of  which  are  not  filled  in,"  was  the 
somewhat  dreary  admission. 

Fischer  groaned  as  he  received  the  news. 

"  Have  you  any  idea  about  those  cheques  ?  "  he 
demanded. 

"  I  am  afraid/'  the  other  acknowledged,  "  that 
Mr.  Bookam  was  not  very  discreet.  I  reminded  him 
of  your  advice  —  that  the  money  should  be  passed 
through  Sullivan  —  but  he  didn't  seem  to  think  it 
worth  while." 

"  Look  here,  let  me  know  the  worst  at  once," 
Fischer  insisted.  "  Do  you  believe  that  any  one  of 
those  cheques  was  made  payable  to  any  of  the  men 
who  are  under  arrest?" 

'*  I  am  afraid,"  the  secretary  declared  sadly,  "  that 
the  proceeds  of  one  were  found  on  the  person  of 
Ed.  Swindles,  intact." 

Fischer  sat  for  a  moment  with  his  head  buried  in 
his  hands.  "  That  any  man  could  have  been  such  a 
fool.  An  organisation  would  have  been  a  thousand 
times  safer.  Max  Bookam  was  only  a  very  worthy 
and  industrious  clothing  manufacturer,  with  an  in- 
tense love  for  the  Fatherland  and  a  great  veneration 
for  all  her  institutions.  What  he  had  done,  he  had 
done  whole-heartedly  but  foolishly.  He  was  a  man 
who  should  never  have  been  trusted  for  a  moment 
in  the  game.  After  all,  the  pawns  count.  .  .  ." 

Fischer  took  his  leave  and  reached  his  hotel  a  little 
before  midnight.  Already  he  had  begun  to  look 
over  his  shoulder  in  the  street.  He  found  his  rooms 
empty  with  a  sense  of  relief,  marred  by  one  little 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  jof 

disappointment.  Nikasti  was  to  have  been  there  to 
bid  him  farewell  —  Nikasti  on  his  way  back  to  Japan. 
He  ascertained  from  the  office  of  the  hotel  that  there 
had  been  no  telephone  message  or  caller.  Then  he 
turned  to  his  correspondence,  some  presentiment  al- 
ready clutching  at  his  strained  nerves.  There  was 
a  letter  in  a  large  envelope,  near  the  bottom  of  the 
pile,  addressed  to  him  in  Nikasti's  fine  handwriting. 
He  tore  open  the  envelope,  and  slow  horror  seized 
him  as  he  realised  its  contents.  A  long  photograph 
unrolled  itself  before  his  eyes.  The  first  few  words 
brought  confusion  and  horror  to  his  sense.  His 
brain  reeled.  This  was  defeat,  indeed!  It  was  a 
photograph  of  that  other  autograph  letter.  The  one 
which  he  had  given  to  Nikasti  to  carry  to  Japan 
lay  —  gross  sacrilege !  —  about  him  in  small  pieces. 
There  was  no  other  line,  no  message,  nothing  but 
this  damning  proof  of  his  duplicity. 

A  kind  of  mental  torture  seized  him.  He  fought 
like  a  caged  man  for  some  way  out.  Every  sort  of  ex- 
planation occurred  to  him  only  to  be  rejected,  every 
sort  of  subterfuge,  only  to  be  cast  aside  with  a  kind  of 
ghastly  contempt.  He  felt  suddenly  stripped  bare. 
His  tongue  could  serve  him  no  more.  He  snatched 
at  the  telephone  receiver  and  rang  up  the  number  for 
which  he  searched  eagerly  through  the  book. 

"  Is  that  the  office  of  the  American  Steamship 
Company  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes." 

"  What  time  will  the  New  York  sail?  " 

"  In  three-quarters  of  an  hour.  Who's  speak- 
ing?" 


308  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

"  Mr.  Oscar  Fischer.  Keep  anything  you  have 
for  me." 

He  threw  down  the  receiver  for  fear  of  a  refusal, 
packed  a  few  things  feverishly  in  a  dressing  bag, 
dashed  the  rest  of  his  correspondence  into  his  pocket, 
and  with  the  bag  in  one  hand,  and  an  overcoat  over 
the  other  arm,  he  hastened  out  into  the  street.  He 
was  obliged  at  first  to  board  a  street  car.  After- 
wards he  found  a  taxicab,  and  drove  under  the  great 
wooden  shed  as  the  last  siren  was  blowing.  He  hur- 
ried up  the  gangway,  a  grim,  remorseful  figure,  a 
sense  of  defeat  gnawing  at  his  heart,  a  bitter,  haunt- 
ing fear  still  with  him  even  when,  with  a  shriek  of  the 
tugs,  the  great  steamer  swung  into  the  river.  He 
was  leaving  forever  the  work  to  which  he  had  given 
so  much  of  his  life,  leaving  it  a  fugitive  and  dis- 
honoured. The  blaze  of  lights,  the  screaming  of  the 
great  ferry-boats,  all  the  triumphant,  brazen  noises 
of  the  mighty  city,  sounded  like  a  requiem  to  him  as 
in  the  darkest  part  of  the  promenade  deck  he  leaned 
over  the  railing  and  nursed  his  agony,  the  supreme 
agony  of  an  ambitious  man  —  failure. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

"  What  has  become,"  Mrs.  Theodore  Hastings 
asked  her  niece  one  afternoon  about  a  month  later, 
"of  your  delightful  friend,  Mr.  Lutchester?  " 

Pamela  laid  down  her  book  and  looked  across  at 
her  aunt  with  wide-open  eyes. 

"  Why,  I  thought  you  didn't  like  him,  aunt?  " 

"  I  cannot  remember  saying  so,  my  dear,"  Mrs. 
Hastings  replied.  "  I  had  nothing  against  the  man 
himself.  It  was  simply  his  attitude  with  regard  to 
some  of  your  uncle's  plans,  of  which  we  disapproved." 

Pamela  nodded.  They  were  seated  on  the  piazza 
of  the  Hastings'  country  house  at  Manchester. 

"  I  see !  .  .  .  And  uncle's  plans,"  she  went  on  re- 
flectively, "  have  become  a  little  changed,  haven't 
they?" 

Mrs.  Hastings  coughed. 

"  There  is  no  doubt,"  she  admitted,  "  that  your 
Uncle  Theodore  was  inveigled  into  supporting,  to  a 
certain  extent,  a  party  whose  leaders  have  shown 
themselves  utterly  irresponsible.  The  moment  these 
horrible  things  began  to  come  out,  however,  your 
uncle  finally  cut  himself  loose  from  them." 

"  Very  wise  of  him,"  Pamela  murmured. 

"  Who  could  have  believed,"  Mrs.  Hastings  de- 
manded, "  that  men  like  Oscar  Fischer,  Max 


3*6  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Book  am  and  a  dozen  other  well-known  and  prominent 
millionaires,  would  have  stooped  to  encourage  the 
destruction  of  American  property  and  lives,  simply 
through  blind  devotion  to  the  country  of  their  birth. 
I  could  understand,"  she  went  on,  "  both  your  uncle 
and  I  perfectly  understood  that  their  sympathies 
were  German  rather  than  English,  but  we  shared  a 
common  belief  that  notwithstanding  this  they  were 
Americans  first  and  foremost.  It  was  in  this  belief 
that  your  uncle  was  led  into  temporary  association 
with  them." 

"Bad  luck,"  Pamela  sighed.  "I  am  afraid  it 
hasn't  done  Uncle  Theodore  any  good." 

Mrs.  Hastings  went  on  with  her  knitting  for  a 
moment. 

"  My  child,"  she  said,  "  it  has  probably  imper- 
illed, if  it  has  not  completely  ruined,  one  of  the  great 
hopes  which  your  uncle  and  I  have  sometimes  enter- 
tained. We  are  both  of  us,  however,  quite  philo- 
sophical about  it.  Even  at  this  moment  I  am  con- 
vinced that  if  these  men  had  acted  with  discretion, 
and  been  content  to  wield  political  influence  rather 
than  to  have  resorted  to  such  fanatical  means,  they 
would  have  represented  a  great  power  at  the  next 
election.  As  things  are,  I  admit  that  their  cause  is 
lost  for  the  time.  I  believe  that  your  uncle  is  con- 
templating an  early  visit  to  England.  He  is  of  the 
opinion  that  perhaps  he  has  misunderstood  the  Allied 
point  of  view,  and  he  is  going  to  study  matters  at 
first  hand." 

Pamela  nodded. 

"  I  think  he  is  very  wise,  aunt,"  she  declared.     "  I 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  311 

quite  expect  that  he  will  come  back  a  warm  advocate 
of  the  Allies.  No  one  would  have  a  ghost  of  a  chance 
who  went  to  the  country  here  on  the  other 
ticket." 

"  I  believe  that  that  is  your  uncle's  point  of  view," 
Mrs.  Hastings  assented.  ..."  Why  don't  you  ask 
Mr.  Lutchester  down  for  a  couple  of  days?  " 

"  If  you  mean  it,  I  certainly  will,"  Pamela  agreed. 

"  Quite  incidentally,"  her  aunt  continued,  "  I 
heard  the  nicest  possible  things  about  him  in  Wash- 
ington. Lady  Ridlingshawe  told  me  that  the  Lut- 
chesters  are  one  of  the  oldest  families  in  England. 
He  is  a  cousin  of  the  Duke  of  Worcester,  and  is  ex- 
traordinarily well  connected  in  other  directions.  I 
must  say  he  has  a  most  distinguished  appearance. 
A  well-bred  Englishman  is  so  different  from  these 
foreigners." 

Pamela  laid  down  her  book  and  drew  her  writing 
block  towards  her. 

"  I'll  write  and  invite  him  down  at  once,"  she  sug- 
gested. 

"  Your  uncle  will  be  delighted,"  Mrs.  Hastings 
purred.  .  .  . 

Lutchester  received  his  invitation  in  New  York 
and  arrived  in  Manchester  three  days  later.  Pamela 
met  him  at  the  station  with  a  couple  of  boatmen  by 
her  side. 

"If  you  wouldn't  mind  sailing  home?"  she  pro- 
posed. "  The  house  is  practically  on  an  island,  and 
the  tide  is  just  right.  These  men  will  take  your  lug- 
gage." 

They  walked  down  to   the  little  dock  together. 


3ia  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

Pamela  talked  all  the  time,  but  Lutchester  was  curi- 
ously tongue-tied. 

"  You'll  find  Uncle  Theodore,  and  aunt,  too,  most 
amusing,"  she  confided.  "  It  is  perfectly  obvious 
that  there  is  nothing  uncle  regrets  so  much  as  his 
temporary  linking  up  with  Fischer  and  his  friends; 
in  fact,  he  is  going  to  Europe  almost  at  once  —  I  am 
convinced  for  no  other  reason  than  to  give  him  an 
excuse,  upon  his  return,  for  blossoming  out  as  a 
fervent  supporter  of  the  Allies." 

"  Are  you  going  too  ?  "  Lutchester  inquired. 

"  Shall  I?  Well,  I  am  not  really  sure,"  she  de- 
clared, as  they  reached  the  little  wooden  dock.  "  I 
suppose  I  shall,  especially  if  I  can  find  something  to 
do.  I  may  even  turn  nurse." 

"  You  will  be  able  to  find  plenty  to  do,"  he  assured 
her.  "  If  nothing  else  turns  up,  you  can  help  me." 

They  stepped  on  to  the  yacht.  Pamela,  a  radiant 
vision  in  white,  with  white  flannel  skirt,  white  jersey 
and  tam-o'-shanter,  took  the  helm,  and  was  busy  for 
a  few  moments  getting  clear.  Afterwards  she  leaned 
back  amongst  the  cushions,  with  Lutchester  by  her 
side. 

"  In  the  agitation  of  missing  that  buoy,"  he  re- 
minded her,  "  you  forgot  to  answer  my  last  sugges- 
tion." 

"  Is  there  any  way  in  which  I  could  help  you  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"  You  can  help  me  in  the  greatest  of  all  ways,"  he 
replied  promptly.  "  You  can  give  me  just  that  help 
which  only  the  woman  who  cares  can  give  to  the  man 
who  cares  for  her,  and  if  that  isn't  exciting  enough," 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  313 

he  went  on,  after  a  moment's  pause,  "  well,  I  dare 
say  I  can  find  you  some  work  in  the  censor's  depart- 
ment." 

"  Isn't  censoring  a  little  dull  ?  "  she  murmured. 

"  Then  you  choose  — " 

Her  hand  slipped  into  his.  A  little  breeze  filled 
their  sails  at  that  moment.  The  wonderful  blue 
water  of  the  bay  sparkled  with  a  million  gleams  of 
sunshine.  Lutchester  drew  a  great  breath  of  con- 
tent. 

"  That's  aunt  on  the  landing-stage,  watching  us 
through  her  glasses,"  Pamela  pointed  out,  making  a 
feeble  attempt  to  withdraw  her  hand. 

"It  will  save  us  the  trouble,"  he  observed,  resisting 
her  effort,  "  of  explanations." 

Lutchester  found  his  host  and  hostess  unexpectedly 
friendly.  They  even  accepted  with  cheerful  philoso- 
phy the  news  that  Lutchester's  work  in  America  was 
almost  finished  for  the  time,  and  that  Pamela  was 
to  accompany  him  to  Europe  almost  immediately. 
After  dinner,  when  the  two  men  were  left  at  the  table, 
Hastings  became  almost  confidential. 

"  So  far  as  regards  the  sympathies  of  this  country, 
Mr.  Lutchester,"  he  said,  "  the  final  die  has  been  cast 
within  the  last  few  weeks.  There  has  always  been," 
he  proceeded,  "  a  certain  irritation  existing  between 
even  the  Anglo-Saxon  Americans  and  your  country. 
We  have  fancied  so  often  that  you  have  adopted 
little  airs  of  superiority  towards  us,  and  that  your 
methods  of  stating  your  intentions  have  not  always 
taken  account  of  our  own  little  weaknesses.  Then 
America,  you  know,  loves  a  good  fight,  and  the  Ger- 


3i4  THE  PAWNS  COUNT 

mans  are  a  wonderful  military  people.  They  were 
fighting  like  giants  whilst  you  in  England  were  still 
slacking.  But  it  is  Germany  herself,  or  rather  her 
sons  and  friends,  who  have  destroyed  her  chances  for 
her.  Fischer,  for  instance,"  he  went  on,  fingering 
his  wineglass.  "  I  have  always  looked  upon  Oscar 
Fischer  as  a  brilliant  and  far-seeing  man.  He  was 
one  of  those  who  set  themselves  deliberately  to  win 
America  for  the  Germans.  A  more  idio-tic  bungle 
than  he  has  made  of  things  I  could  scarcely  conceive. 
He  has  reproduced  the  diplomatic  methods  which 
have  made  Germany  unpopular  throughout  the 
world.  He  has  tried  bullying,  cajolery,  and  false- 
hood, and  last  of  all  he  has  plunged  into  crime.  No 
German-American  will  henceforth  ever  have  weight 
in  the  counsels  of  this  country.  I  do  not  mind  con- 
fessing," Mr.  Hastings  continued,  as  he  himself  filled 
his  guest's  glass  and  then  his  own,  "  that  I  myself 
was  at  one  time  powerfully  attracted  towards  the 
Teuton  cause.  They  are  a  nation  wonderful  in 
science,  wonderful  in  warfare,  with  strong  and  ad- 
mirable national  characteristics.  Yet  they  are  going 
to  lose  this  war  through  sheer  lack  of  tact,  for  the 
want  of  that  kindliness,  that  generosity  of  tempera- 
ment, which  exists  and  makes  friends  in  nations  as 
in  individuals.  The  world  for  Germany,  you  know, 
and  hell  for  her  enemies!  .  .  .  But  I  am  keeping 
you." 

Lutchester  drank  his  wine  and  rose  to  his  feet. 

"  Pamela  is  sitting  on  the  rocks  there,"  Mr.  Hast- 
ings observed.  "  I  think  that  she  wants  to  sail  you 
over  to  Misery  Island.  We  get  some  unearthly  meal 


THE  PAWNS  COUNT  315 

there  at  ten  o'clock  and  come  back  by  moonlight.  It 
is  a  sort  of  torture  which  we  always  inflict  upon  our 
guests.  My  wife  and  I  will  follow  in  the  launch." 

"  To  Misery  Island !  "  Lutchester  repeated. 

His  host  smiled  as  he  led  the  way  to  the  piazza 
steps.  Pamela  had  already  stepped  into  the  boat, 
and  with  the  help  of  a  boatman  was  adjusting  the 
sail.  She  waved  her  hand  gaily  and  pointed  to  the 
level  stretch  of  placid  water,  still  faintly  brilliant  in 
the  dying  sunlight. 

"  You  think  that  we  shall  reach  Misery  Island  be- 
fore the  tide  turns  ?  "  she  called  out. 

Lutchester  stepped  lightly  into  the  boat  and  took 
the  place  to  which  she  pointed. 

"  I  am  content,"  he  said,  "  to  take  my  chance." 


THE    END 


A     000135481     o 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

405  Hilgard  Avenue,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90024-1388 

Return  this  material  to  the  library 

from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


NON-REM  WAB«  F 


APR  2  0 

DUE  2  WKS  ttiOM  C 


1998 

ATE  RECEIV&Q 


NON-RENEWABLE 


DUE  2  WKb  muTvfuKi  tt  ntCEiVED 
RK'D  LD-URt 

NOV  i  s  \m 


